Flame
by Yondaime Namikaze
Summary: Hiccup is unsuccessful at training the Monstrous Nightmare in The Kill Ring in front of the entire spectating village of Berk. Banished from his homeland by his own father, Hiccup sets out with Toothless on a quest to find a new place. On his journey, he saves a young woman, Heather, who gives him just what he's been looking for his whole life: a loving and welcoming home village.
1. Never Be The Same Again

**I'm just going to say it now. It's been a long time since I've written a story based on a requested idea. However, this idea was too good to pass this. This idea was submitted by a guest reviewer who enjoys reading my stories. For that, this story is dedicated to you, my friend! I hope that you (and everyone else too!) enjoy(s)!**

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Chapter 1: Never Be The Same Again

"That is what I saw Chief! Hiccup was there and he was talking to a dragon! It was clearly obvious that this has been going on for quite some time," Astrid continued to explain to the Chief of Berk, Hiccup's father. As she spoke, a crowd of Berk villagers had also gathered around to listen. Murmurs rose from the crowd, but Astrid continued, "When he noticed me there, Hiccup tried to convince me not to hurt the dragon. He said it wouldn't hurt me. Chief, this is absurd! I knew that something was going on with Hiccup during training, but this…"

All eyes, including the Chief's, turned to look at the boy who had arrived as quickly as he could. Stoick broke from the crowd and walked slowly over to his son. Hiccup flinched a little at the close contact; he was not used to being so near to his father. "Thank you, Astrid. You may go. Everyone, in fact, may go. I wish to speak to Hiccup. Alone."

Hiccup shivered, knowing what would be coming next—the questions and the lectures. He did not miss Astrid's knowing smirk as she walked away. She had been so desperate to win and now she had for this would surely be the end of Hiccup's time as a member of the Hooligan tribe of Berk. Hiccup knew that his father would slowly extricate the truth from him. There was no way that Hiccup could resist his father; the man was way too intimidating.

When all were gone, Stoick rounded again on Hiccup. "Is this true, Hiccup? All this of which Astrid has just spoken? About you and a dragon?"

Hiccup's nervousness flowed through his body and he was fortunate that the shaking was not noticeable to his father. "Well…uh, Dad…I…" he started, certain that his stuttering would be a dead giveaway as to his answer.

"You know what? I don't want to know the answer now. Show me your answer tomorrow in The Kill Ring."

Before Hiccup could even comprehend how easily he had been left off the hook, Stoick was gone, returning to the village. Knowing that his father would be out and about in the village for a while, Hiccup ran home and straight up the stairs to his bedroom.

Pacing his room, Hiccup contemplated the words his father had just spoken to him. "'Show me your answer tomorrow in The Kill Ring.' How am I supposed to do that? Okay…stupid question…I know how to do that, but…I don't want to kill that dragon. But, if I don't kill it, they'll all know that Astrid was telling the truth about me and Toothless."

Knowing that there was no way that he could possibly kill the dragon, Hiccup's thoughts set him off in another direction. "What if I could…train it? In front of the entire village? If I could successfully train that Monstrous Nightmare, would that be enough proof to change the stubborn minds of everyone here on Berk?"

Hiccup realized that he had just spent the last couple minutes talking out-loud to himself, but he was frustrated. Regardless, it did little to ease his troubled mind.

"What if it doesn't work, though?" he asked himself again, thinking about his potential new plan to train the Monstrous Nightmare instead of killing it. "I mean…what's the worst my dad could do? Banish me? Would that be such a bad thing?" Hiccup wondered. "Isn't like the village cares about me at all anyway." Breathing in deeply, Hiccup made his final decision. "That's what I'll do. I'll train that Nightmare. I'll show them all."

Confident in his plan, Hiccup decided next that he would face the chilly early-night air to grab some dinner over at the Great Hall. Hiccup hated eating dinner at the Great Hall. He had always sat alone and it used to tug at his heart to see the happy families and friends eating together. Though Hiccup knew that he shouldn't have let it get to him, it still did.

Things had changed since Hiccup's improvements in dragon training. Now, everyone seemed eager to invite him to their table. Hiccup was always hesitant to accept and would usually just end up sitting alone as he was so accustomed to doing already. It just didn't feel right for them to change their opinions of him simply because of his dragon training methods (which they still didn't fully understand anyway).

Unfortunately, because his father would not be home until late, Hiccup knew that he would have to eat dinner at the Great Hall. He tried to walk slow, hoping that the time and cold biting air would change his mind, but it did not work. The Great Hall was situated right next to his house, so Hiccup had little time to think before he arrived at the building. Inside, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, but the happy chattering of Vikings and the shouts from the mead drinking contests did little to please Hiccup.

Hiccup had tried to enter the building quietly so as not to stir up the gathered Vikings; he just wanted to eat alone so that he could continue forming his plan to train the Monstrous Nightmare tomorrow in the Kill Ring. Unfortunately, the Gods again decided to prove their hatred for Hiccup as one of the Vikings noticed his approach and loudly ran over to strike up a conversation with him. Hearing the commotion created the usual chain reaction and soon Hiccup was crowded by large, inquisitive Vikings.

Being smaller than average had its advantages; Hiccup had learned that lesson years ago. Ducking down, he found an opening and slipped through, leaving the Vikings to wonder where he had gone. Before they could find him, Hiccup grabbed a plate of food and choked it down quickly. The other Vikings were unsuccessful in locating Hiccup before he slipped out of the Hall and ran back to his house.

"Well, that was a disaster," Hiccup muttered to himself as he shut the door of his house. Looking around, Hiccup noticed that his father was still not home. _**Not that it matters**_, Hiccup thought, _**I'm just going to go sleep anyway. **_Hiccup had decided that he would sleep early tonight because he needed to be completed alert and concentrated tomorrow in The Kill Ring.

When Hiccup crawled under his wool blanket that night, he knew not what the next day would bring. All her knew was that his life, life on Berk, would never be the same again.

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**This story will be a little different than what I usually write, but that's the fun thing about honoring requests. I've got a few other story requests in the works for some time later.**

**Hope you all enjoyed this first chapter! See you all next time!**

**Thanks for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: November 15, 2014**


	2. The Fated Day (Part 1)

**I know…I introduced the story and disappeared again. I haven't given up, I assure you! In fact, I planned out the story…to an extent. Enough that I can keep writing without writer's block or need for a hiatus. Good news, yeah?**

**Review Replies:**

_**Angryhenry**_**: Yep. Yay!**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: Well, it wasn't soon, but…I tried.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: Well, I've got some ideas…mainly from the "challenge" but…yeah…we'll see where that gets the story first.**

_**That One Guy Over There**_**: Thanks. Strangely enough, I never thought of this scenario until I was given the "challenge". **

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: I'm updating it now.**

_**fanfictionmakermachine**_**: It's real. Merry Christmas. I never plan to discontinue stories. I will say that. If I do, it's because it just happens. This one should not go that route because I have some plans already typed up and plotted for it.**

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Chapter 2: The Fated Day (Part 1)

"Wake up, Son! Your breakfast is on the table!"

Hiccup awoke the next morning to his father's booming voice as it climbed the stairs to the loft bedroom where the boy slept. At first, Hiccup blinked and stared up at the wooden ceiling high above him. _**Strange. Dad never makes me breakfast. In fact, he usually just leaves. Why is today any…?**_

Memories flooded back as the hazy veil of sleep continued to disappear. _**Oh, that's right… Today's **__**that**__** day.**_ Hiccup was not looking forward to today's big event. He had not been able to think of a suitable plan to use in The Kill Ring. _**Guess that I'll just have to train the Nightmare. Hopefully, that will be enough to convince everyone else that the dragons aren't the monsters we think they are. **_

Reluctantly leaving the bed, Hiccup dragged himself downstairs and to the table where a plate sat waiting for him. Sitting down, Hiccup tried to eat but found that he could not. Instead, he pushed the food around and pretended to eat.

His father noticed. "Nervous for today, aren't you, Son?"

Inside, Hiccup felt like screaming. He was frustrated and did not want to be forced into that arena later. Outside, though, he just nodded. It was easier to just convince Stoick that he was nervous than to try to explain his true feelings.

Stoick gave a short laugh. "You'll be fine, Hiccup. Gothi chose you specifically because she was certain that you could succeed. You will make everyone proud today."

_**I don't want to make anyone proud!**_ Hiccup screamed inside his head. _**I wish you and everyone else could just…understand**_. "I'm sorry, Dad," Hiccup spoke up instead. "I'm just not hungry," he finished.

Stoick shrugged. "Okay then. Well, I have to get down to the arena. Make sure you are there early."

Without another word and not waiting for a reply from his son, Berk's Chief left the house and Hiccup was alone again. Knowing that there would be no getting out of today's show, Hiccup sat at the table and continued to push his breakfast around on his plate. He had hoped that the motion would calm his nerves, but, of course, no such luck.

When Hiccup left the house, he was, at first, surprised that he was not immediately mobbed by excited villagers. Then, he remembered that they all were at the arena. Every year, the villagers would arrive early in hopes that they could snag the best area from which to view the show.

On his way to the arena, Hiccup did pass Astrid. She said nothing, only giving him a sharp glare before racing ahead. Clearly she was still upset that it was he, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, (and not her) who would be fighting the dragon today. Hiccup almost wished that it was her who had been hand-chosen by the Elder. Astrid would've been ruthless to the captive Monstrous Nightmare but she would've put on a good show for the gathered villagers. Not to mention that he could have pretended to go to the arena and then just sneak off to the cove to be with Toothless.

No, that never would've happened. If Astrid had been chosen, he probably would've snuck into the arena under the cover of night and freed the Nightmare from its prison and gruesome fate. Not like any of that mattered now. He was the one who had been chosen to kill the Nightmare and he had to at least act as if he was going to go through with it.

In his hands, Hiccup clenched the helmet his father had given him the night before he and Astrid had vied for the coveted victor's role of slaying the Monstrous Nightmare. Hiccup waited in the tunnel entrance to the arena floor. As he waited, he listened to his father's opening speech. The boy's heart tugged a little as his father spoke about how proud he was that Hiccup had been chosen to slay the Monstrous Nightmare.

"Today, my boy becomes a Viking. Today, he becomes ONE OF US!"

Before Hiccup had much time to think over these words, Gobber appeared from the arena floor. "It's time, Hiccup. Knock 'em dead."

Hiccup gulped and walked into the arena, placing the helmet onto his head as the gate came thundering down behind him. Slowly, he walked over to the arrangement of weapons displayed for all to see. He knew that he would have to take one. If he didn't take a weapon, the villagers would suspect something and Hiccup wanted to make sure the moment was right before he set his plan into motion.

On the rack of weapons sat a small dagger much like the one he had thrown into the lake in the cove at Toothless's silent request. Hiccup didn't plan to use the weapon anyway, so, without thinking about it, he just picked up the small dagger and took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I'm ready."

Up ahead of Hiccup, the lever on the Monstrous Nightmare's cage lifted slowly. _**I don't know if I actually am ready for this. Oh, Gods, take pity on me this time! Please!**_ Before Hiccup had time for any other thoughts, the dragon burst forward, out of the cage, in a display of fire and flames.

In its rage, the dragon raced through the arena, shooting flames toward the spectating Vikings. Climbing the chains that covered the top of the arena, the dragon looked down and finally noticed Hiccup. The Vikings looking on from above grew silent, anticipating the epic battle that was beginning to play out.

The Monstrous Nightmare dropped to the ground and walked toward Hiccup. Each step the Nightmare took toward Hiccup, the young Viking took one back away from the dragon in return. _**Well, I guess it's now or never, then.**_ As Hiccup stepped backwards, he slowly dropped the dagger and shield and brought his hands in front of him, showing the dragon that he was weaponless and meant no harm. _**I really hope this works…**_

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**I know…nothing happened in this chapter. Within the next two chapters or so, the plot will become to deviate and the real story will begin. Don't give up yet! I plan to see this through!**

**Thanks for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: January 10, 2015**


	3. The Fated Day (Part 2)

**Looks like the release schedule for this story is one chapter every two months…I'm sorry. Life has been busy and I always tend to write about ten stories at a time. I like to mix up the updates instead of focusing on just one single story. **

**Review Replies:**

_**ShadowXseed**_**: Yeah…but the action should pick up soon.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Ireland was amazing. I relive my experience in my mind all the time! Back to the story!**

_**Hobblegrunt (anonymous)**_**: I wish the update was quicker, but…here it is now.**

_**Robert (anonymous)**_**: I can't say…but I can post the chapter and you'll see!**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: Indeed, there aren't many at all! **

_**RoboticMechanicalJeb**_**: Yeah, this is a little outside the norm for me, but it was a request and I wanted to give it a try. Thanks! Here's chapter 3.**

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Chapter 3: The Fated Day (Part 2)

Hicccup heard the crowd gasp when he dropped his weapons. The young Viking could hear them muttering amongst themselves, but now was not the time to worry about that. Instead, he had to remain focused on his mission. The Monstrous Nightmare continued to approach and even despite Hiccup's attempts to reassure the dragon, it still seemed edgy. Glancing upward, Hiccup realized what might be aggravating the dragon in front of him. His helmet! Of course! Dragons would associate the Viking helmet with misery and destruction. _**I have to get rid of it.**_ Confidently, Hiccup pulled the helmet from his head and tossed it aside. "I'm not one of them."

The Monstrous Nightmare's eyes widened and Hiccup could see that he was slowly gaining its trust. However, he was also quickly losing the trust of his fellow Vikings. He heard his father call for the fight to end. _**No! Not yet! This can't end yet. I haven't accomplished anything yet.**_ "No!" Hiccup called out, his confidence rising. "I need you all to see this. They're not what we think they are," he instructed those gathered at the arena as he let the dragon sniff his outstretched hand. "We don't have to kill them."

Chancing a look up into the spectating area, Hiccup could see that his father was angry enough to smash his hammer against the railing. However, the chief did not. Instead, he called for his best friend. "Gobber! Put that dragon back in its cage. Next year's champion can slay it. Right now, I need to have a talk with my…Hiccup."

Hiccup caught his father's hesitation and change in words. **_He doesn't want to call me "son" in front of the village anymore._ **This was not going to go well. As Gobber, with experience, returned the Nightmare to its cage, Stoick entered the arena floor and roughly grabbed Hiccup by his left elbow, dragging him away and toward the Great Hall.

Because of his father's great strength, Hiccup was powerless to try to resist. It was hard enough trying to stay upright. When they arrived at the Great Hall, Hiccup's father shoved the boy into the dark room and Hiccup stumbled several steps but did not trip.

"I should've known! I should've seen the signs!" Stoick mumbled, ignoring Hiccup. "We had a deal!"

"I know we did, but that…that was before I…ah, it's all so messed up," Hiccup, running his hands through his hair in anxiety, tried to reason with his father. He'd never been good at this…especially when his father was this angry.

"So, everything in the ring…a trick? A lie?" his father demanded an answer, rounding back upon Hiccup.

Hiccup tried again to explain his actions. "I screwed up. I should have told you before now. I just…"

"I've heard enough, Hiccup. You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking. You're not my son. Get your things and leave. You are, here by, banished from Berk and are to leave before the sun sets. Now, go!"

Stoick turned and left the Great Hall with a slam of the large door and not a look back at the boy he had once called "son".

Hiccup stood rooted to the spot staring at the slightly ajar door which had not latched when the Chief had slammed it on his way out just moments ago. _**My father…he didn't just…**_ Though Hiccup did not want it to be true, he knew that it was. He had been stripped of his title; no longer was he Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, heir to the chiefdom of Berk. Now he was just orphan Hiccup, left to fend for himself, alone.

Only briefly was Hiccup stunned. Quickly, his shock changed to anger. Hiccup was angry with his former father and his old tribe for their resistance to change and the ease it took to banish him for something so simple. All he'd tried to do was show them that their perceptions of dragons were not correct, but they'd never even given him a chance to explain his actions. _**If they want to banish me, then fine! I'd rather go away from here with Toothless than continue living this double life anyway!**_

Hiccup returned to an empty house to gather everything that he would need or want on his journey away from Berk. It did not take long to place everything into his satchel. As he closed and secured his satchel, Hiccup looked down upon the Berk crest on the fabric of his satchel. His heart now hardened against his former tribe, Hiccup stared with cold eyes at the crest on the fabric. How he wished he could just rip it right off and never have to look at it again. Surely it would fade in time and, someday, disappear forever.

Picking up his packed satchel, Hiccup slipped from his house through the back door and made his way into the woods, knowing by heart the way to the cove where Toothless would be waiting. It was a quick walk and Hiccup traveled briskly; he did not want to stay on Berk any longer than absolutely necessary. Finally, without the burdens of his village and tribe, he could get out there and explore past the boundaries of this "wet heap of rock". Ever since he had trained Toothless and they had fully gained each other's trust, Hiccup had wanted to fly out over the waters and see what other lands he could come across in his travels.

As expected, Toothless was waiting when Hiccup entered the cove. The dragon noticed the satchel that Hiccup had slung across his small form and sniffed it. Hiccup pushed the dragon's snout away. "It's perfectly fine, Toothless. Now, listen, okay? We're leaving. You and me, we're taking a little vacation…forever."

The Night Fury, as always, seemed to understand Hiccup's words and the depth of their meaning, but Toothless did not protest the idea of leaving this place. Hiccup smiled a soft and almost genuine smile at the thought of the adventures they would soon have together. "So…you ready to go?"

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**Now the story finally begins to evolve into its own unique storyline. I'm actually quite pleased with how this chapter turned out (and if you've read any of my other stories, you know that I rarely say this!) so I hope that you all enjoyed it too!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: March 14, 2015  
****Happy Epic Pi Day!  
****(3.141592653)**


	4. Flame

**Time for the monthly update to Flame! Yeah…not much else to say, so I'll just cut right to the review replies…**

**Review Replies:**

_**The Writer Of The**__**Fanfiction**_**: I didn't have any pie on Epic Pi Day either…**

_**fanfictionmakermachine**_**: Seems that my update time period for this story is one chapter a month or so. Still better than 90% of my fanfictions, though. **

_**Robert (anonymous)**_**: Guess we'll find out now.**

_**Dark Ghost**_**: Thanks! I will say that Berk will turn up again when we least expect it!**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Here's the next chapter.**

_**warorpeace**_**: Thanks! Well, we'll see. "Brave" has also been going for almost a year and a half…although, it's just about finished too.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Some of those ideas might just find their way into the story. I never know what's going to happen (fully) until I start writing. I can have a planned out idea and turn it completely upside-down. It happens all the time.**

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Chapter 4: Flame

Before mounting Toothless, Hiccup pulled out a dark hooded cloak from his packed satchel. _**Can't afford to have someone recognize me**_, he reasoned. Hiccup most definitely did not want to have to explain his situation. Not yet. With ease, he pulled the cloak on above his tunic and lifted the hood over his head. The cloak, luckily, was long enough to cover both his tunic and most of his pants. His fur boots were exposed, but no one would recognize him by his foot coverings, so Hiccup felt satisfied. _**When we get to our new home, I really need to fashion some new clothing. These old ones could be too recognizable. Being the former heir is really going to go against me. I should come up with a new name too.**_ Hiccup tried to think of a possible new name, but his mind was too scattered to gather his thoughts. _**That can wait…for now**_, he decided.

Hiccup mounted Toothless and clipped his safety rope unto the hook on Toothless's saddle. "Come on, Toothless. Let's go. Fly us anywhere…as long as it's away from here."

Toothless took off into the skies and Hiccup spared one last glance back to the island he used to call home. Deep down, he felt a slight pang of guilt and sadness. However, the feeling passed as Hiccup patted Toothless's neck. As long as he had Toothless, Hiccup was satisfied that anywhere they found could be called "home".

Hiccup let Toothless take full reign of the flight pattern, only adjusting the tailfin if the Night Fury indicated that it should be done. Lying down upon Toothless's back, Hiccup let the cool air brush through his hair and calm him.

The peace was broken by a shrill scream that made Hiccup sit up immediately. Though he really did not want to get involved (he was actually not as brave as Berk often made him out to be), Hiccup knew that he could not just fly by without trying to help.

Toothless glanced up to his rider as if asking what he should do. Like Hiccup, Toothless felt wrong about leaving a distressed person to fend for himself/herself, but the Night Fury would do as his rider wished.

"Let's find out what's going on, Toothless," Hiccup answered his dragon's unspoken question. "Take us down," he confirmed.

With Hiccup's assistance, Toothless changed direction to take them to the place where the distress sound had come from. As they dropped lower and lower, Hiccup took a moment to survey his surroundings. Loki trees, he noticed the foreign plant. That's not good. There's only one place where those grow. Outcast Island.

Though he had never, before today, been to Outcast Island, Hiccup had heard the stories of the less-than-pleasant location. The outcasts were a group of Vikings who had been exiled from their home islands and banded together. They were ruthless and brutal. Hiccup shivered just at the thought of coming face-to-face with them, but he knew that he had to; he could not let this person, whoever he or she may be, handle these foes alone. Besides, Hiccup had Toothless. Toothless would do everything possible to keep them all out of harm.

"Take us close, but find a place to hide," Hiccup, in a whisper, instructed Toothless. "I want to assess the situation before tackling it head-on."

Toothless obliged, stealthily landing away from the action and walking silently over to hide behind a large rock near the scene. It was a bit hard to see what was going on simply due to the numerous large Outcasts crowding the area, but Hiccup patiently waited. Finally, he could make out a girl, probably about his age, in the center. The Outcasts were trying to force themselves upon her, but she was struggling and attempting to push them away. Her attempts, though, grew weaker the longer that Hiccup watched. She needed help; she was not going to be able to push them away for much longer.

Hiccup stood up and made to step out from behind the cover of the rock. Before he could though, he heard Toothless slightly shift to follow him. _**Not yet,**_ Hiccup knew, _**if Toothless stays hidden, he can use that to our advantage if we have to defend ourselves or attack.**_ "No, Toothless," Hiccup whispered the order. "Wait here. If I need help, I'll call you. Watch for my signal."

Stepping out from behind the rock, Hiccup silently approached the Outcasts. "Leave her alone!" he ordered, his voice somehow staying strong and steady despite the fear gripping his very being.

At the sound of a new voice, the Outcasts all turned, their attention momentarily broken away from the girl who stood up and tried to back away without making a sound that would alert the men to her actions. Hiccup wanted to signal to her to hide behind the rock with Toothless but he knew that she could not see his face as it was still shrouded by the hood of his cloak.

Advancing, the largest Outcast, obviously the leader, sneered, "And why should we listen to you? You think you can take on all of us?"

Hiccup smirked back even though he knew that the Outcast could not see it. "I don't have to. Now, just do as I said and let her go."

While Hiccup had kept the Outcasts distracted, he had not noticed the girl slip away until one of the Outcasts in the back mentioned that she had disappeared. The lead Outcast rounded upon Hiccup. "You made us lose our girl. You're going to pay for that, runt!"

"You're the ones who are going to pay. A girl should never be treated the way that you all were." Unseen to the Outcasts, Hiccup signaled to Toothless and the Night Fury burst from behind the rock.

The Outcasts were stunned by the sudden appearance of the dragon, but stood their ground. It wasn't until Toothless fired a white-purple warning shot at their feet that they all scattered and fled the area.

Hiccup laughed and praised Toothless for a job well-done. "They're not so tough now, are they?" he laughed and his dragon laughed back.

"Thank you," a meek voice gripped Hiccup's attention. It was the girl whom he had saved.

"It was nothing," Hiccup answered, his tone taking on an edge that boasted of how easy the job had actually turned out to be. "There's no reason for anyone to ever be treated that way. I could not just stand by and watch them do that to you."

Hiccup made to board Toothless once again, but was stopped as the girl spoke up once again.

"My name is Heather. May I know the name of my rescuer?"

Hearing the genuine curiosity resonating in Heather's voice, Hiccup debated on whether he should answer her question. Though he'd feel bad to just leave without answering her question, he did not want her to know his real name. Not yet. "I…my name…well," he started, mentally smacking himself for how stupid he must have sounded. Sneaking a glance at Heather, Hiccup saw that she was not judging him for stuttering, so he took that as a sign to continue. "For now, you can call me…" he paused as he tried to think of a name that he could use temporarily until he either thought of a better name or chose to reveal his real name. Hiccup thought back to Toothless and the dragon's warning shot that scared away the group of Outcasts. _**Any name is better than Hiccup**_, he reminded himself before finishing his previous thought. "…you can call me 'Flame'."

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**Considering that it's late at night, I think this chapter turned out pretty good. I'm sorry that it's so late. I've been busy (again!) with my two jobs and I came home all week drained and sleeping all the time. Next week, my night job schedule is loaded, but I'm going to try to keep my day job schedule light so I avoid that drained feeling.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame! See you next month!**

**Posted: April 12, 2015**


	5. Slow To Trust

**A new month, a new chapter of Flame. Hope you all enjoy as the story begins to pick up from here. Also, my original plan (that I came up with when I received the story request) has already been altered…and we're only four chapters into the story!**

**Review Replies:**

_**fanfictionmakermachine**_**: You are welcome! Here's another reminder. Yeah, Hiccup's not very good at coming up with names on the fly, I guess.**

_**NightFuryHunter**_**: I don't think I want to know why. Haha.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Thanks! **

_**Dark Ghost coc**_**: It is a pretty intimidating name.**

_**travellerofadifferentpath**_**: That will actually be addressed here in chapter 5.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Well, thank you! Here's the next chapter.**

_**Robert (anonymous)**_**: Here's the next chapter.**

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Chapter 5: Slow To Trust

"My name is Heather. May I know the name of my rescuer?"

Hearing the genuine curiosity resonating in Heather's voice, Hiccup debated on whether he should answer her question. Though he'd feel bad to just leave without answering her question, he did not want her to know his real name. Not yet. "I…my name…well," he started, mentally smacking himself for how stupid he must have sounded. Sneaking a glance at Heather, Hiccup saw that she was not judging him for stuttering, so he took that as a sign to continue. "For now, you can call me…" he paused as he tried to think of a name that he could use temporarily until he either thought of a better name or chose to reveal his real name. Hiccup thought back to Toothless and the dragon's warning shot that scared away the group of Outcasts. _**Any name is better than Hiccup,**_ he reminded himself before finishing his previous thought. "…you can call me 'Flame'."

Hiccup watched as Heather blinked slowly, clearly not expecting such a name. Thinking on it now, "Flame" was a bit of a strange name. He would definitely have to come up with something better soon. Not that it would matter with Heather. He would be nice and return her home and then carry on with his journey. Within a matter of days, he would leave her behind and never see her again anyway. _**Might as well get started with returning Heather home**_, Hiccup decided, boarding his Night Fury. "Come on," he instructed to Heather. "He won't hurt you. Climb aboard and tell me where your home is. I'll take you back so you don't have to deal with these…Outcasts again."

Heather was hesitant, but Hiccup felt her relax against his cloak as she learned that Toothless was not going to hurt her. She pointed out the direction where her homeland lay and Toothless took to the sky to begin the smooth ride.

"Wow! This is amazing!" Heather exclaimed early in the ride. "I've never flown on the back of a dragon before. How did you…?"

"It is a long story," Hiccup interrupted, knowing exactly what she was asking, "and I don't feel like getting into it right now." _**Or ever**_, he finished silently. It felt strange to act this way, reserved and almost harsh, to Heather. This type of reaction was so unlike him; perhaps his heart was colder and hardened (from the actions of Berk and its chief) more than he'd thought.

The silence between Hiccup and Heather was deafening. Hiccup almost wanted to speak, break the thick lack of sound, but he did not know what to say. He could tell that Heather felt slightly intimidated by his unwillingness to open up and provide more details about himself. Though he felt bad about this, Hiccup did not want to risk her recognizing him. _**Not until…if,**_ he reminded himself, _**if I can be sure I can trust her.**_

"What will you do?" Heather asked softly. "Once I'm back at my home, what will you do?" she elaborated.

"Continue my journey," Hiccup replied simply.

"Won't you return home? Maybe not right after you take me back to my own homeland, but someday soon?"

"No. I have no home to return to. Not now. Not someday. Not ever."

"What about family? Don't you have any family?"

"No. I have no one that I would call family. Not anymore."

The conversation (if it could even be called that) between Hiccup and Heather was terse, but Hiccup knew that if he kept it concise, it would not reveal enough about him to this girl. He did almost feel bad because Heather truly did seem concerned about his well-being, but he barely knew her; he had to be sure that he could trust her first.

"Why don't you stay at my homeland then? It sounds to me like your 'journey' is centered on finding a place to live. My tribe would gladly accept you, Flame, especially once they hear about your heroics against those Outcasts."

Hiccup did not immediately answer. Instead, he thought over Heather's words. She was absolutely right; his journey did center on finding a permanent place where he could settle down and live out the rest of his life. It did sound appealing to live among a tribe again, especially one that would accept his friendship with Toothless. Living alone with Toothless would be lonely, but would it be better? "My only focus at the moment is getting you back there, to your homeland," he spoke up at last. "I will make my future plans after that."

Heather dropped the subject after this. She did not try to spark any new conversations. Hiccup was not sure whether he felt content or unsettled by this lack of conversation. It was nice in that she was no longer expecting him to provide responses to questions that he did not want answer. However, the lack of words between them did make the ride seem longer. Discreetly, so as not to alert Heather to his actions, Hiccup shifted his satchel further away in hopes that she would not notice the Berk crest. If she saw that, then she would surely recognize him.

After a while (Hiccup had lost track of how long it had been since he'd rescued Heather), he asked her, "Is it much further to your homeland? If so, then it might be better to just find somewhere to rest for the night and finish the journey tomorrow…if possible."

"I suppose we could take a break for tonight, like you said. That way I can finish directing the rest of the way in the light."

The sky was just starting to darken, but Hiccup was secretly glad that Heather opted for his suggestion. He did not want to get lost out over sea because he'd only packed so much emergency rations. There was plenty for both of them (and Toothless) to eat tonight. After that, Hiccup would figure out from there based on whatever situation he found himself in then.

Before it grew much darker, Hiccup found an island and directed Toothless to land. When they touched down, Hiccup explored briefly to determine that it was uninhabited. It was actually quite pleasant. As they settled in, Hiccup, still careful to conceal the Berk crest on his satchel, reached into his pack and pulled out some of his emergency rations. Placing down the rations, Hiccup directed Toothless to warm them up and the dragon did as asked. Hiccup was almost surprised that worked out so well, but he had complete trust in Toothless and his dragon could do almost anything.

Once the rations had cooled a bit, Hiccup split them into three equal parts. He gave some to Heather and some to Toothless and kept the rest for himself.

It was just beginning to grow dark, but there was still enough light to see by when Heather spoke to Hiccup again. She had been silent for most of the time after they had finished discussing the possibility of Hiccup finding a place for himself among her tribe.

"You've worn that cloak up over your face this whole time. Isn't it uncomfortable? Don't you want to pull down the hood?"

Hiccup had completely forgotten about his hooded cloak that had (somehow) remained in place this whole time, concealing his face. "Not really," he replied, not even sure which question he was truly answering. Really, though, he did want to remove the cloak because, now that she mentioned it, he became aware of how restricting it could be. It always seemed to be in the way. _**Maybe it's safe. I mean, Heather seems trustworthy. The only thing is…if she does recognize me, what would she do? What's it matter anyway, though? It's not like I ran away from Berk. I was ordered to leave.**_ He glanced up at the sky. _**It's almost dark. It might be okay to take down the hood. **_

The former heir could see Heather's expression change, darken slightly. Hiccup could tell that she had been hoping he would let his guard down a little and trust her and it made his heart twinge a little. He hated coming across this way, like some evil person who is so full of hate that he refused to trust anymore, but it wasn't entirely his fault. He had trusted Berk for fifteen years and look where that had gotten him!

"I mean…I hadn't really thought about it being uncomfortable," Hiccup amended, dropping some of the walls he had built. "Now that you mention it, though, I guess I can pull down this hood." Slowly, Hiccup dropped the hood down, revealing his face to Heather for the first time.

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**And there we have it! This month's update. Hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next month!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: May 17, 2015**


	6. Learning To Trust Again

**The monthly update of Flame is now here! Enjoy!**

**Review Replies:**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Well, he'll open up a little more in this chapter. Probably not much more, but a little bit.**

_**fanfictionmakermachine**_**: Time to resolve the cliffhanger. Hope it's enjoyable.**

_**Brenne**_**: We're not finished with Berk. They'll be back later and we'll see then how they have fared since Hiccup's banishment.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: No need to apologize. I think the answers will be in this chapter. If not this chapter, then definitely in the next chapter. Here's the next chapter.**

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Chapter 6: Learning To Trust Again

"You've worn that cloak up over your face this whole time. Isn't it uncomfortable? Don't you want to pull down the hood?"

Hiccup had completely forgotten about his hooded cloak that had (somehow) remained in place this whole time, concealing his face. "Not really," he replied, not even sure which question he was truly answering. Really, though, he did want to remove the cloak because, now that she mentioned it, he became aware of how restricting it could be. It always seemed to be in the way_**. Maybe it's safe. I mean, Heather seems trustworthy. The only thing is…if she does recognize me, what would she do? What's it matter anyway, though? It's not like I ran away from Berk. I was ordered to leave.**_ He glanced up at the sky. _**It's almost dark. It might be okay to take down the hood.**_

The former heir could see Heather's expression change, darken slightly. Hiccup could tell that she had been hoping he would let his guard down a little and trust her and it made his heart twinge a little. He hated coming across this way, like some evil person who is so full of hate that he refused to trust anymore, but it wasn't entirely his fault. He had trusted Berk for fifteen years and look where that had gotten him!

"I mean…I hadn't really thought about it being uncomfortable," Hiccup amended, dropping some of the walls he had built. "Now that you mention it, though, I guess I can pull down this hood." Slowly, Hiccup dropped the hood down, revealing his face to Heather for the first time.

Hiccup remained silent as Heather deeply took in his face, now revealed. Heather did not immediately reply and Hiccup started to wonder if she recognized him as the former heir of Berk. Finally, Heather did speak.

"You're…younger than I expected." Seeing Hiccup's confused expression, Heather continued, "I mean…I just thought you were older, but you look to be about my age."

"How old are you?" Hiccup asked, not just in an attempt to be more open with Heather, but because he was genuinely curious.

"Fifteen."

"Well, you're right, then. I'm also fifteen." Hiccup glanced over Heather again. Before having this conversation, he had not looked long enough to determine whether he thought her older or younger than him. In a way, though, he was relieved that they were both the same age. _**She must've thought I was older because of the bravery I showed against those Outcast thugs.**_ "You know…I'm really sorry about the way I acted earlier. It's just…in my recent past, I've been betrayed by those close to me and I just didn't want to let you in until I knew I could trust you."

"I understand, Flame. I'm glad that you're starting to open up to me. Does this mean that you feel that you can trust me?"

As much as Hiccup wanted to just say "yes", he still didn't feel quite sure. Instead, he just answered with a brief, "I think so." _**I hope so**_, he added silently to himself.

Heather stepped closer so she could stare right into Hiccup's forest-green eyes. "I understand. You don't have to tell me what happened in your past. You saved my life and for that I am grateful. That's enough for me," she told him with a small smile.

"Come on, we should sleep soon," Hiccup answered back. "Tomorrow is going to be another long day. Trust me. Flying all day can really take a lot out of you. You'll want all the sleep you can get."

Heather smiled again. "I trust you. You seem to be quite knowledgeable about the subject of dragons." She lay down on the ground and Hiccup passed her a blanket from his packed satchel. "Good night."

Hiccup smiled, a true genuine smile, as he pulled out another blanket for himself. "Good night, Heather."

"Oh, and Flame?"

"Yes?" Hiccup asked, curious.

"Think about what I said earlier, okay? About staying and making a place for yourself among my tribe?"

Hiccup had almost forgotten. "I will think about it. I promise." This time, he spoke the truth. He had already thought about it, but he would also think more about it tomorrow.

888

Day came quickly and Hiccup woke with the sun. He moved quietly so as not to disturb Heather's sleep as he folded up his blanket and stuffed it back into his satchel. While packing the blanket away, Hiccup made sure to grab some food suitable enough for a breakfast for Heather and himself.

When Hiccup turned back around, he saw Heather sit up and stretch. Her hair had come loose from her side braid sometime throughout the night. Hiccup still felt that she looked pretty, though. When had he started thinking Heather looked pretty? Hiccup did not know. Perhaps, he had thought so from the beginning, but his caution had prevented him from acknowledging such feelings. Now, though, that he was starting to try to open up to her, perhaps he had allowed himself to also accept his own feelings toward her. It sounded strange to him, but, in a strange way, it did make perfect sense. "Oh, sorry, did I wake you?"

"No," Heather yawned. "I was pretty much awake when I heard you." She stood up and folded her own blanket, passing it to Hiccup to return to his satchel.

"I pulled out some breakfast for us," Hiccup told Heather as he passed her a share of the food he had taken from the satchel. "Make sure to eat. You'll need it for strength, trust me."

Heather took the food from Hiccup. "I already told you that I trust you on this," she laughed and began to eat.

Hiccup smiled in return and ate his breakfast. He finished quickly and supplied Toothless with some breakfast. As the Night Fury ate the food Hiccup had provided, the young former heir checked the set-up of Toothless's prosthetic tailfin to be sure that it was properly set and capable of handling the day's journey. By the time Toothless had finished eating his breakfast, Hiccup had checked over all the precautions and was satisfied that they would have safe travels, no matter where Heather led them. Completing one final check, Hiccup looked around to make sure that everything was packed; he did not want to leave any essential items here, especially if he decided not to stay and live in Heather's village.

"Ready to go?" Hiccup asked Heather. While he had been feeding Toothless and checking the prosthetic tailfin, Heather had taken time to wash her face and braid her hair back into the familiar side braid that Hiccup had seen her wear yesterday. She certainly looked prepared now, up for anything.

Upon her nod, Hiccup pulled himself up into the saddle on Toothless's back and hooked the safety restraint. When he was situated, Hiccup extended a hand out to Heather to help her up into the saddle. "Okay, just like yesterday, then. You guide and I'll adjust his tailfin according to your directions."

Heather pointed in one direction out over the water. "Okay, fly this way to start, then."

Hiccup directed Toothless in accordance with Heather's instructions and the trio took to the skies. As they flew, neither Hiccup nor Heather spoke, but this time it wasn't because Hiccup clamped up and refused to talk. This time, they were silent as they just took in the beauty around them, the wind that drifted through their hairs, and the peaceful calm that surrounded them. Chancing a short glance at Heather behind him, Hiccup thought about all he had been through already. Though he was still guarded (and probably would continue to be for quite some time), he felt that he was starting to like Heather; so far, she had proven to be a great companion. _**Maybe I should consider continuing to get to know and open up to Heather**_, he wondered._** Perhaps it would be a good thing. Learning to trust again.**_

* * *

**Originally, the plan was going to be for them to reach the village in this chapter, but I like this ending. Hiccup's pondering over whether to learn to trust again…and I feel that is a pretty major theme that will be explored in this story. **

**This chapter was actually pretty easy to write. That doesn't usually happen. Hopefully, it turned out okay. It's bordering 3AM here, but I was so close to finishing writing the chapter that I just wanted to get it done…before I forgot how I wanted to end it. (Trust me, that actually happens to me…and it sucks!)**

**Hope that everyone enjoyed this month's chapter. See you next month!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: June 7, 2015**


	7. Home

**I had a request to update this story just a little faster…and I think that can be arranged. Thus, the second update in the month of June! Enjoy!**

**P.S. I've gotten so many great ideas in your reviews! Just wanted to say that I've noted all of them into the plans for potential future storylines. I love when readers add their own ideas for consideration. It makes me feel like you all are really connecting with the work (and I—no shame at all—love using the ideas at random times to surprise those who came up with and submitted the idea). What I'm trying to say is…keep 'em coming! Really? I love reading them! Haha.**

**Review Replies:**

_**Braggy (anonymous)**_**: Thanks! Here's the next update.**

_**Gordon519**_**: Thanks!**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Yeah, that would be pretty funny, huh?**

_**Dreathstrike59**_**: I don't think Hiccup has any intentions to return to Berk…but that doesn't mean Berk won't find their way into his new life. Haha.**

_**ladipretender**_**: Well, I'm glad that you gave it a shot! Heather's parents will be in this chapter, so we shall see what type of people they are. Also, why she was on Outcast Island…I plan to address that in the next chapter. I think you're right. In time, Hiccup may learn to trust again. Honestly, I'd love to update this one faster than once a month if that is what the readers want. I'm giving it a try now and we'll see how it goes.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Thanks! I've noted all your ideas. Literally—I have, I think, a full page in MS Word devoted to your ideas for the story (but that includes the original challenge notes too). Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!**

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Chapter 7: Home

The flight was quiet. Again, Hiccup did not know what to say to this girl whom he'd rescued. There were so many questions that he wanted to ask. What was her village like? Would her people accept him or were they a skeptical lot who frowned upon outsiders? How had she ended up on Outcast Island? Did she recognize him as Hiccup, former heir to the chiefdom of Berk? All these questions hurt Hiccup's head, begging him to ask Heather, but he just remained silent.

Ever since last night when he'd dropped his hood and revealed his face to Heather, Hiccup had not raised the hood again. What was the point? As he'd figured last night, she had not mentioned anything about recognizing him and, even if she did know who he was, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Berk would not come looking for him; he was on his own. Keeping the hood down would show Heather, even if just in a small way, that Hiccup wanted to try to amend for his harsh words and actions yesterday when they'd met.

Heather tapped lightly on Hiccup's shoulder. "We're almost there now. You just need to make one last slight direction change and then it's only a short distance remaining from there." She pointed in the direction and Hiccup, as he'd been doing, made the necessary adjustments to Toothless's tailfin.

"You seem to be pretty good at navigating from the sky," Hiccup observed.

"I've never done it before, if that's what you're implying," Heather answered with a short laugh. "My village…we have dragons, but they aren't trained like yours. The dragons on my island, they keep to the woods away from our homes. Sometimes, at night, they take our livestock, but other than that, we rarely see them, especially during the day."

Soon, Hiccup caught his first glimpses of approaching land. "Is that your island?" he asked back to Heather.

"Yes," she answered simply.

Hiccup did not know how to feel. A part of him was sad that his time with Heather was coming to an end. It was nice to have a companion who could keep a conversation. Another part of him was glad that he was able to return Heather safely to her homeland. Above all that, though, Hiccup was nervous. He was nervous to even the thought of meeting members of Heather's tribe. He was sure this nervousness stemmed back to his experiences on Berk, but he wondered if he'd still feel this way even if Berk had never cast him out, banished him.

"I'm going to have him land in the woods," Hiccup gestured down to Toothless. "From what you said, it doesn't sound to me like your people would be happy if we were to land a dragon in the middle of your village…even if you are on it."

Directing Toothless, Hiccup helped guide the Night Fury to land in a concealed part of the forest. Heather jumped down and started to walk in the direction of her village. When she did not hear Hiccup's footsteps behind her, she stopped and turned around to see that her traveling companion had not even dismounted from the saddle on his dragon's back. "Aren't you coming?"

"I don't think so," Hiccup answered. "This is your village, not mine."

"When they hear about what happened, they're going to want to talk with you, my rescuer," Heather reasoned.

Hiccup wanted to believe Heather's words, that those in her village would like to get to know him. However, whenever he tried to believe her statement, his thoughts would drift back to Berk. "No they won't. Trust me; I'm nobody, just a boring nomad who happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"What if there are threats to my safety between her and my village? Then I'll need you to rescue me again and you won't be there to help me," Heather tried another excuse.

Hiccup knew what Heather was trying to do, but he still was not convinced. "This is your homeland. Nobody's going to attack you here." _**Once Heather leaves, Toothless and I can leave too, fly to who knows where and find somewhere to live. Then there will be no more worries about meeting her people and wondering if they would cast me out too…just like Berk.**_

"Please?" Heather pleaded, skipping the excuses this time.

Looking into Heather's eyes, Hiccup saw something that he had not seen before. Desperation. _**Why?**_ he wondered. _**Why is Heather so desperate for me to walk with her to her village?**_ As much as he wanted to decline and just leave, when Hiccup saw Heather's desperation, his answer changed. "Fine," he answered, slipping his boots out of the stirrups on Toothless's prosthetic tailfin mechanism. He signaled to Toothless to stay put and not follow.

Hiccup walked over to Heather and allowed her to lead him towards her village. "It's just a short walk from here," she informed him.

With the woods covering the island and shielding the village, Hiccup, with sadness, was reminded of Berk. _**No, I can't think of Berk anymore. Berk is my past. I will find my future, but Berk will not be a part of it.**_

Heather pulled back the last branch of the woods and Hiccup caught his first glimpses of her village. It looked peaceful as members of Heather's tribe moved calmly through the village to complete whatever tasks they needed to do that day. _**There's no way these people could be as harsh as those I knew on Berk, is there? How long will the scars from their actions plague me?**_

"Come on! I want you to meet everyone!" Heather urged, grabbing Hiccup's hand to lead him into her village.

Hiccup knew this was his last chance to run, wrench his hand from Heather's grasp and race back to Toothless. Surely, he could make it (even despite his inherent clumsiness) and fly away before Heather could catch him. Instead, though, he allowed Heather to lead him into her village.

It did not take long for Heather's tribe members to notice her arrival. They quickly approached her, asking where she had been and if she was okay. With a laugh, Heather assured them that she was fine. When they asked about Hiccup (who was standing next to her and trying to make himself as silent and small as possible), Heather just replied that he was someone she had met and told them that she would probably give them the full story later.

A couple ran up to Heather and engulfed her in a hug. Hiccup, trying to avoid any awkward moments, stepped back and watched.

"Oh, Heather! Your father and I were so worried when you didn't come home last night. Where were you?" the woman spoke first, her voice laced with fear and worry.

"I'm fine, Mom. Thanks to Flame," Heather answered, gesturing back to Hiccup.

"Flame?" the man, Heather's father, asked, looking back at Hiccup.

"Yeah, it's a…uh…name," Hiccup answered. He wanted to smack himself for sounding like a complete idiot in front of Heather's parents.

"Thanks to Flame?" Heather's mother asked, picking right up on her daughter's words. "What happened?" Her voice took on a whole new level of concern and Hiccup felt his heart ache slightly. He'd never known his mother and his father had (especially as of recently) sure as heck had never showed concern for his son's well-being.

"It's a long story. I can tell you later at home. Speaking of home, I'm sure it'll be fine if Flame stays with us for a while, right?"

"Where is your home, Flame?" Heather's father asked Hiccup.

Hiccup, in reply, gave the same answer that he had given Heather. "I don't have a home, Sir. Not anymore."

"Then, by all means, you should stay with us! I'm sure that, if you do choose to stay, you will find our tribe much to your liking."

"Are you sure?" Hiccup questioned. He was still hesitant to believe that any tribe would be so quick to open up and accept a stranger. _**If it wasn't for saving Heather, they surely would not welcome me this way**_, Hiccup believed.

"Of course! Any friend of Heather's is a friend of ours! Especially since you say that you don't have a home. You can stay at ours and, if you wish to stay and live among our tribe, we would be happy to help you make a home for yourself here on our island. So, what do you say? Will you take us up on our offer?"

* * *

**Okay…so, as it turned out, I didn't get around to really detailing Heather's parents like I thought I would. At least they've been introduced, though, right? Also, I'm sorry if the ending sucked. I should know better than to try writing the ends of chapters late at night. This happens every time. **

**Hope you all enjoyed reading another chapter this month. We'll see how this is received and that will determine if I write more chapters each month (instead of just one like I'd been doing). **

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: June 17, 2015**


	8. Heather's Family

**Guess what? Three updates in one month! Not bad, huh?**

**I envision this chapter centering mostly on Heather and her family and Hiccup. So…basically, this is the chapter that many have been waiting for.**

**Review Replies:**

_**fanfictionmakermachine**_**: I always feel like Hiccup's testing my psychology knowledge in this story. Anyway, the idea there is that he has been broken and scarred by his treatment on Berk, so now he's hesitant because he doesn't want to feel that he belongs and then have that, again, ripped from him. Good questions!**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: True! In this case, it's that they can see that he is a friend of Heather's and that their daughter trusts him. They will ask for the story, but they didn't want to bring it up in a public place. **

_**supersandman86**_**: You are right about one thing: We have not seen the last of Berk. I won't say how, but they will return to Hiccup's life.**

_**ladipretender**_**: I think I've said those exact words to other writers before! That feeling when you see a good story has been updated…it's wonderful. Haha. Wow…both of those moments, you really understood what I was going for! I'm impressed! It's not wrong at all. Hiccup probably could use a hug at this point. About the early updates…what can I say? Your review asking for faster updates inspired me.**

_**Spartan10007**_**: Thanks! Here's the next chapter for your enjoyment.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Heather's Family

The offer came at Hiccup so quickly that he found he could not immediately answer. He had only just been introduced to Heather's parents and now they were inviting him to make a place for himself among their tribe. Heck, they even offered to help him get started. Never before had Hiccup been embraced with such hospitality. Not from his father or his other former tribe members. What was he supposed to say to this show of generosity?

Luckily for Hiccup, he did not have to immediately respond. Heather took care of that for him. "Why don't we all go back to the house? I'm sure Flame could use some rest."

Heather's parents were quick to agree. "Of course! He can take time to rest and then we can talk. It sounds as though there's a lot to discuss and here, in the open, is not the place," Heather's father answered.

Heather's parents led the way and, as the teens followed, Hiccup caught Heather's eye and gave her a grateful smile. Taking a rest sounded like a great idea and it would give Hiccup some time to think over the offer. Heather smiled back in return, an expression that clearly said "It was nothing. Glad I could help _you_ out this time."

It was a short walk to Heather's home and Hiccup used that opportunity to take in his surroundings, observing all that he could about Heather's village. From what Hiccup could see, he perceived Heather's village to be a lot like Berk. The villagers were friendly, greeting Heather and her family as they passed. Hiccup could not remember Berkians being this friendly. Maybe they were, though, but all he'd ever gotten from them were glares, whispers, and scowls.

Heather's home, as Hiccup soon found out, was quite simple. Hiccup, though used to living in the slightly-more elegant home of a chieftain, found the smaller house to be homely. There was an air about the place that felt comfortable and safe.

"It's not much," Heather whispered to Hiccup, "but it's home."

"It's nice," Hiccup answered honestly. After the walk and the flights from Berk to Outcast Island to Heather's island, Hiccup was feeling tired and grateful to take Heather up on her offer to rest up.

Heather's parents let the teens into the house and shut the door after they entered. From outside, Hiccup had seen that the house had no upper level, but he had expected that. Houses like the one Hiccup had lived in for the first fifteen years of his life were reserved for only the most important Vikings, such as the village chieftain. Even Gothi, the village elder, had not had an upper level built into her house (though it was already built on a hill high above the village).

Inside, Hiccup saw the living area and found a couch. It didn't look particularly comfortable to rest upon, but he was a guest and right now he'd take just about anything. "So…should I…?" Hiccup gestured to the couch, hoping that Heather's parents understood what he was asking.

"Are you sure?" Heather's mother answered. "That old thing is so uncomfortable."

"Wait," Heather spoke up next. "Flame can use my bed. While he rests up, I can go help Father at his shop. By the time we finish up, Flame should be all rested up and then we can discuss everything that needs to be said."

Heather's parents agreed and soon after Heather and her father left. Hiccup felt a little uncomfortable to be left alone with Heather's mother, but she seemed pleasant, so Hiccup allowed himself to relax slightly and lower the defenses he had instinctively built.

"Allow me to show you to Heather's bedroom," Heather's mother offered. She led the way and Hiccup followed. The house was small and Hiccup was certain that he could've found the room on his own, but he was the guest so he allowed Heather's mother to show him the way.

In the bedroom, Hiccup stepped up to the bed. He felt a little unsure about sleeping here in Heather's bed (even though it would be just him), but she had insisted.

"Before you lay down," Heather's mother spoke. Hiccup had not realized that she was still in the room, "would you mind if I check you over? I'm the village healer and it sounded as if you and Heather had quite the adventure on the way here."

"Uh…yeah, sure," Hiccup consented.

As she worked, Heather's mother made small talk with Hiccup and the ex-Berkian found himself growing more and more comfortable opening up and allowing himself to trust this kind woman who had offered to help him out and check him over for injuries. Though he still did not reveal his true name or former tribe name, he did explain (without all the details) about finding Heather and returning to her homeland. In return, Heather's mother told Hiccup some details about Heather's small family.

"My husband, Heather's father, is the village blacksmith. Heather enjoys assisting him in his shop and he's grateful for the help because he does not have an apprentice or any other help. As for the family, Heather has no brothers or sisters so it's just us," Heather's mother explained.

Heather's mother finished her check and Hiccup found that the time had passed quickly as they'd engaged in the small talk between themselves. "You are all set, young Mister Flame. Now, rest up, Heather and her father will be home soon enough."

Hiccup waited until Heather's mother had left the room and pulled the door closed before lying down carefully on Heather's bed. Heather's scent encircled Hiccup and he found it to be pleasant. He tried to pinpoint the scents. He could smell the smoke from the forge and he could also smell a touch of…honey, perhaps? It was sweet. _**Maybe she helps to prepare meals for her family?**_ With that final thought, Hiccup let the darkness claim him and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

**So…I wanted to get this chapter out before life decides to come at me again…because if that happens, then…yeah…slow updates. Because of that, I decided to split this "family" chapter up. Next chapter will be the discussions and planning about Flame's future within the tribe.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame! Enjoy the quick updates!**

**Posted: June 23, 2015**


	9. Family Discussion

**I am so sorry that I could not get one more update in during June! (If you don't read my other stories or follow my Twitter and didn't know) I got pretty sick right after I last updated this story and I couldn't get on the laptop. Literally, all I wanted to do was sleep. I'm better now though, so I'm trying to catch up on all the updates that I've missed giving you all. **

**By the way…the new season of the TV series…yeah, that messed with everything I had planned for this story, so…I'm going to proceed from here as if Race to the Edge doesn't happen. If you've seen it, you know what I mean.**

**Review Replies:**

_**Braggy**_**: Thanks. I'm sorry to make you wait, but here's the next chapter.**

_**Litwick723**_**: Well, they won't right away, but there are plans for children in the future.**

_**Spartan10007**_**: Yeah…tell me about it. Haha. Here's the next chapter.**

_**Pegueng**_**: I can say that there is dragon training/taming in the mix for the near future.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: She is nice in this story. There's no rivalry between her and Astrid here…at least, not yet…**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Well, she is kinda like the assistant—by helping out her father. I can foresee some forge scenes possibly coming up soon.**

_**ladipretender**_**: Thanks for the positive words! There's so much I'd love to add to this reply, but everyone wants to read the chapter, so I'll keep it brief. Haha. Anyway…I hadn't thought about names, but I suppose I should get on that because, as you guessed, they will be pretty central to the story. I'm sorry to keep you waiting. As I said, I was kinda sick, but it's all good and the chapter is here!**

_**Gordon519**_**: Nope. No injuries. I guess I could've made that a bit clearer. Also, it's okay to ask! That's one of the reasons why I answer reviews in each chapter.**

_**NomomoCutieXD**_**: I agree. There aren't a lot of Heather stories out there and I'd been wanting to write one even before this idea was handed to me.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Well, you did give me the initial challenge. I'm just writing out the ideas and putting words to the scenes. Anyway, to answer the questions… Names—still working on that. Any suggestions? Looks—just like they did in Heather Report Part 2 (As I said, I'm ignoring Race to the Edge for this story). Does Heather take after her mother or father? Well, we'll see how I envision that, but what I'll say now is both. Mostly her father with the blacksmithing, though. She doesn't seem like she'd have quite enough patience to be a healer. Heather's eye color? I'm going with green. I always thought her eyes looked like a deep rich shade of green. Race to the Edge was pretty great. I didn't think I would see it since I don't have Netflix, but I found a way…like always (perfectly legal—no downloading, mind you!). My first thought was literally…"Gods, now that's going to mess with the storyline of 'Flame'." Not even kidding. Haha.**

**_Flameo Hotman (anonymous)_: Thanks! I'm glad that you like it.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Family Discussion

Hiccup slowly returned to consciousness but something didn't feel right. Before he'd even opened his eyes, Hiccup could smell scents that he didn't recognize. _**This doesn't smell like my room at home. Come to think of it. This bed doesn't feel like mine either.**_ Opening his eyes, it took a moment for Hiccup to remember that he was, indeed, not in his room over on Berk. Pushing himself up onto his elbows quickly, Hiccup looked around and the memories returned.

Hearing a soft laugh, Hiccup turned back to see Heather standing in the doorway of the room. "You must have been sleeping very deeply."

"Yeah…I suppose so," Hiccup answered, his hand moving automatically to rub the hairs on the back of his neck. This habit was one he did unconsciously whenever he was nervous. He didn't know why he felt nervous, though; Heather had already shown to be an understanding and gentle person.

"Well, when you've fully woken, why don't you come join us for dinner?" Heather invited. "My mother is an excellent cook…in addition to her amazing skills as a healer."

Heather made to leave again, but Hiccup stopped her. "Wait, Heather?" When Hiccup had her attention, he continued, "H-How did you end up on Outcast Island?" He had been interested to know the answer ever since he'd met Heather, but had been too nervous until now to ask.

"Oh, that…" Heather stepped back into the room so that she could face Hiccup. "I was out in the woods here on the island. I was collecting herbs for my mother." Heather looked away. "They came up behind me. There were maybe two or three. They grabbed me before I even knew they were behind me. I was unarmed because…well, you've seen the woods. The woods here are usually a peaceful place…other than the dragons. Regardless, I couldn't fight them off. They were trained and strong. There was nothing I could do. They restrained me and forced me back to their island."

Hiccup shifted his focus down to the bed. He could feel his anger for the Outcasts rising. _**What horrible people! Kidnapping an innocent girl just so they could take turns ravaging her! **_

"It's okay, though," Heather finished. "You came and saved me from them and the horrible things they wanted to do. Everything is fine." She smiled then, as if remembering Hiccup's heroicness. "I'll see you at dinner, okay?"

Heather left then and Hiccup stood up from the bed. He stretched and looked toward the doorway. He could hear muffled talking and the sounds of wooden utensils scraping upon wooden plates. Again, Hiccup felt nervous. Even though Heather had invited him to eat dinner with her and her parents, Hiccup still worried. Back on Berk, mealtime was not often a pleasant time…at least, not for Hiccup. Most nights, Hiccup had eaten by himself in the Great Hall. Alone at one of the many tables but surrounded by the whispers. Then, there were the rare nights when Hiccup's father made dinner for the both of them. Those nights, dinner was silent and tense and Hiccup had always gotten the impression that he was regarded as a burden by his father.

_**It won't be like that, Hiccup. Heather and her parents actually want you to join them for dinner**_, Hiccup tried to reassure himself. _**Remember, Heather even personally invited you to join her and her parents. Just go out there and eat dinner with them. Everything will be fine. That's what Heather said, right? Everything is fine.**_

Cautiously, Hiccup left the bedroom and followed the soft sounds of conversation. He kept to the shadows, opting to observe the scene before revealing himself. The three members of Heather's family sat at a rectangular wooden table. Also on the table, Hiccup noticed a fourth place was set for him. This surprised him; he really was welcomed (and encouraged) to come eat dinner with the family.

Somehow, before he could step out from the shadows, Heather looked up and noticed his approach. With a discreet nod of her head, she motioned to Hiccup to come take a seat. Hiccup took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his nervousness before stepping from the shadows and sitting at the spot that had been set for him.

Heather immediately stood up even though she was only halfway finished with her dinner. "Let me fill your plate for you, Flame. Just sit tight and relax," she told Hiccup with a smile.

"So…I take it you slept well?" Heather's mother asked Hiccup and he affirmed that his nap had been pleasant.

"We're all interested," Heather's father spoke up next, "to hear your story. Who exactly are you, Flame?"

His tone was gentle, but still Hiccup felt the inner struggle. _**Do I trust them enough to at least explain a little bit about who I am…who I was?**_

"There'll be plenty of time for that," Heather answered, returning with Hiccup's filled plate. "You don't have to answer any personal questions right now if you don't feel comfortable," she told Hiccup as she set the wooden plate down in front of him.

"No, no, it's fine," Hiccup replied, his mind made up, "I can talk a bit about myself."

Dinner was forgotten for the moment as Hiccup vaguely offered some details about himself. "Well…what can I say?" he started, berating himself for sounding like a complete idiot in front of this family who had so graciously taken him in during his time of need. "Um…well, for now I go by this name of 'Flame'. That's not my real name, but I'm sure you guessed that already," he rambled. "It's just…I'm not quite comfortable with my real name at the moment." A partial lie. His name, Hiccup, stood for everything he was trying to forget, but that wasn't the reason why he had opted not to share it with Heather and her family.

Clearing his throat, Hiccup tried again. "Anyway, before I met Heather, I was in the process of leaving my former home island. I had no idea where I was going. All I knew was that I wanted to get away from the place where I used to live."

"Why did you leave?" Heather's father questioned. "I mean, you don't look old enough to be out there living on your own."

"I'm fifteen," Hiccup answered. "Anyway, I left partially by choice, but mostly because I was forced. You see, my former home island…well, the people there held very strong opinions. For most of my life, I went along with their opinions, making them my own, because that was all I'd ever known. Then, recently, I began to form my own opinion, one that went completely against everything I'd ever learned or been taught."

Hiccup paused to make sure that Heather and her parents understood basically what he was saying. Their expressions were intense and, in that moment, he knew that he would have their attention throughout the rest of his story. "For a while," Hiccup continued, "I walked this thin line, hiding my opinion and pretending to go along with everyone else's opinions. It got harder and harder and finally word got out about my opinion. My punishment was eternal banishment, but, to be honest, at that point, I no longer cared." As Hiccup finished, he started to feel enraged again at the mere memory of Berk, but he did not let the feeling show. Berk was his past. His future was yet to be decided.

"Sounds like you've been through a lot in your short fifteen years," Heather's father answered.

Feeling as though he had reached his quota of explanation for the night, Hiccup nodded and gave a short "Yeah" in reply.

"You know, Flame," Heather's mother spoke up next, "you're welcome to stay here. It could be a trial at first, allowing you to acclimate yourself to our village, get to know those of us who live here. Then, if you wish to stay, we can talk to our chief and he can help us to help you build a home and truly make a place for yourself here. What do you think?"

_**I think that I shouldn't grow too attached,** _Hiccup answered silently. _**I shouldn't stay…but, this won't be like Berk,**_ he tried to reason with himself. _**Already, this family has welcomed me and cared for me more than anyone on Berk ever did…at least, until I started excelling at dragon training.**_ Even though Hiccup wanted to deny the offer and leave, fly off on Toothless to some isolated island far away from any civilization, Hiccup also couldn't deny that he still longed for the love and compassion that Heather's family offered. All these things that Hiccup wanted to say back, but, instead, he simply replied, "A-Are you sure? You all would do that? For me?" Hiccup did not fully realize the extent of his brokenness until he heard the echo of his soft voice, questioning Heather's parents.

"Of course!" Heather's mother replied, cheerfully. "Everyone deserves to live a life full of love and compassion and care and we can offer that here for you. We can't change your past, Flame, but we can shape your future."

"So, will you stay, Flame?" Heather asked, genuinely curious.

"I'd like to," Hiccup replied and his answer spoke the truth. However, before he could begin eating the dinner that had been set before him, Hiccup remembered something. "If I'm going to stay here, though, there's something that you all should know…"

* * *

**I know this chapter is called "Family Discussion" but Hiccup really just needed this chance to explain himself, so it kinda turned into a Flame show. Just a random note, that I found, recently, for this story, I've found some inspiration, actually, in a Rise of the Guardians fanfiction series I've been reading where Jack Frost was a forced into servitude to Pitch Black and he's kinda trying to grow accustomed to having the Guardians and Jamie who all just want to care for him and such. I don't know why I mentioned this. It's after 3AM. Cut me a break. Haha.**

**Anyway, I definitely envision another update coming your way before I leave on vacation at the end of this month.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: July 8, 2015**


	10. We Stick Together Through It All

**Tenth chapter of Flame! When I started this story, I didn't know if it'd get this far because of the whole monthly updating schedule. Lately, though, this has become one of the stories that is most requested for updates (along with YOPS), so…yeah. Here we are!**

**Review Replies:**

_**The**__**Plasma**__**Blast**_**: Well, as for the whole getting better…I am…but I'm also not. The symptoms are gone, but I still have issues with the site of the infection and have to treat it daily. Hopefully that improves soon too.**

_**supersandman**_**86: Not as much, but as hinted, there are some minor dragon problems on Heather's island, but it's not nearly as bad as on Berk. I've seen it and I love the twist (really, I do), but this challenge was handed to me before this new information was revealed and I can't fit it into the storyline that I was given. **

_**Gordon519**_**: They left him in the woods, but Toothless will be in this chapter.**

_**Angryhenry**_**: Parental instinct, huh?**

_**Spartan10007**_**: It wasn't Karaoke Night (although, I think I've looked at that one before, but just never read it). The ones I'm talking about are actually called "Pitch Controls You?" and the sequel "No One's Slave Anymore". (If the writer of those stories happens to be reading mine, I must say…these stories have really captivated my attention and I'm still reading the [currently] 41-chapter sequel!). **

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: I think you just summed up this whole chapter in one sentence. Haha. I just don't know how I could possibly change this story to fit the new Heather information. This affected one of my other stories (that I haven't really updated recently), but I figured out how to change that story to fit. This one…not so much.**

_**The**__**Era**__**Thief**_**: As promised, here's another chapter before my vacation.**

_**ladipretender**_**: Yeah, tell me about it. Every June-July I get sick! My Facebook memories thing just reminded me today that it's been three years since this major deal (that ACTUALLY turned out to be nothing at all) that landed me in three different hospitals. As promised, that update is coming right up. I didn't even think I'd be able to watch the new Dragons because I don't have Netflix, but, as I mentioned, found a perfectly legal way to watch it. Anyway…You're right. I have not yet revealed the name of the island or tribe. I do have them, though, (Thanks to the challenge) to reveal…eventually. I like long reviews! I've said it before and I'll say it over and over again. I seriously love reading anything my readers want to say. Keep 'em coming! Haha. I may try to get at least one more update (after this one) in before July 26 when I leave for the week. (I do recommend reading the Rise of the Guardians fanfic series I mentioned because it's actually pretty well-written and has entertained me [almost exclusively] for over a week now!).**

_**Flameo Hotman (anonymous)**_**: Glad you like it!**

_**tatjana1d**_**: Well, let's get that "next chapter" button up there for you to click then. Haha.**

* * *

Chapter 10: We Stick Together Through It All

"So, will you stay, Flame?" Heather asked, genuinely curious.

"I'd like to," Hiccup replied and his answer spoke the truth. However, before he could begin eating the dinner that had been set before him, Hiccup remembered something. "If I'm going to stay here, though, there's something that you all should know…"

"Please tell us, Flame," Heather's mother gently encouraged him to continue.

"It's not really something that I can just tell," Hiccup answered and he saw the recognition in Heather's eyes. She knew exactly what he was talking about. "It's more so something that I have to show you."

"Well, lead the way then," Heather's father answered.

Hiccup was nervous, but he felt better when Heather fell into step beside him. "Sure this is a good idea?" she asked him in a whisper.

"No," he replied, honestly, "but it's better than staying for a while and then springing the surprise on them."

Hiccup and Heather led the way back to the woods and Hiccup did not have to glance behind him to know that Heather's parents followed. When the group of four reached the edge of the woods, Hiccup turned back to face Heather's parents. "Before we step into the woods, I just want to say that you need to trust me. I know that I'm practically a stranger to you, but you have to believe me when I say that everything will be okay." He felt his confidence rising; the feeling was almost foreign to Hiccup…but he did like to feel confident. It gave him…what was it…a sense of belonging, perhaps?

When Hiccup had Heather's parents' confirmations, he instructed, "Okay, let's proceed quietly then." Hiccup and Heather continued to lead the way (since they both knew where they were going).

Up ahead, Hiccup could see Toothless. The dragon was curled with his head resting on his front paws, waiting patiently for Hiccup's return as he'd been instructed to do earlier that day. "Remember what I said, okay?" Hiccup reminded one last time as he pulled back the branches so that the small group could enter into the clearing.

Hiccup heard Heather's parents' breaths both catch when they saw Toothless who had looked up at the approaching humans. To set their minds at ease, Hiccup told them. "It's okay. He won't hurt you. Trust me." In an attempt to prove his point, Hiccup, without any caution at all, ran to Toothless who jumped up at the welcome sight of the familiar Viking. "See, he's gentle," Hiccup showed them and he could see Heather's parents start to believe. It was hard not to believe the boy's words when they had just watched him rush up to the dragon and NOT get fried to a crisp.

Hiccup was aware that Heather already knew about the bond between him and his dragon (although, he knew that she did not know how deeply that bond ran), but as he hesitantly watched her parents' expressions, he saw them slowly start to relax. _**Maybe, just maybe, everything will work out fine.**_ "Want to come over and get to know him? He won't hurt you."

Looking back, Hiccup saw Heather's parents tense slightly again. Heather must have noticed too because she walked over to stand with Hiccup and run her hand over the black dragon's scales. When the parents saw the comfortable aura between their daughter and the dragon, they copied the gesture. Toothless nuzzled his snout into Heather's hand and it wasn't long before all four found themselves laughing at the gentle nature of the dragon.

"If I'm going to stay," Hiccup spoke up, breaking the moment, "then my dragon must stay with me…and I don't mean out here in these woods either. We've been through too much together and we stick together through it all."

Hiccup saw Heather's parents exchange glances. He knew what they were thinking. Was it even possible? To let this dragon live alongside their fellow villagers? From what Heather had told him, he recalled that she had mentioned a minor dragon raiding problem (definitely not as prominent as the ones he'd lived through on Berk) enough that the villagers and the dragons weren't particularly friendly to the other. _**Maybe I can help to bring these two sides closer? Like I tried to do on Berk? Still, though, what if it then turns into Berk all over again? Odin, what am I supposed to do?**_

"Well…that decision isn't entirely up to us," Heather's mother spoke up a little hesitant.

"She's right. We'd have to take that up with our chief and village elder," Heather's father finished.

"Okay," Hiccup resigned, accepting the answer. "In that case, I'll stay out here with my dragon until you get that answer." He sat down and made himself comfortable with his back again Toothless.

"I'll stay with Flame," Heather spoke up, "and keep him company. When you have the answers from our chief and our village elder, you'll know where to find us."

Heather's parents turned back toward the village, leaving the two teens alone with the dragon. Hiccup looked over at Heather, hesitant again to ask the question on his mind. Finally, he threw caution to the wind and asked anyway.

"Will your parents really make a case in front of your chief and village elder to allow my dragon to live here in the village?"

"I do, Flame," she answered with confidence. She must've seen his confused expression because she continued, "You have to understand. My parents live their lives with care and compassion, a strong desire to help others. They wouldn't want us spending the night out here in the cold and, even though they've only known you for a short time, I know they care about you and I'm sure they'll grow in time to regard you as part of our family. You see, their greatest wish was that I could someday have a sibling, but that was never meant to be. Now, with you here, Flame, they can achieve that wish and I know that nothing would make them happier."

Hiccup was slightly taken aback. Never before had he thought he could play a role, that his life could be of importance to someone else. Was that even possible? Could his presence bring Heather's family even closer together? He really wanted to know, but if it came down to a choice between Heather and Toothless, Hiccup, regretfully, would still choose Toothless. He hoped that he wouldn't have to make such a choice. "I promise, Heather. If my dragon is allowed to stay and live with me, I will also stay. I will give this new life a chance." _**Because**_, he finished to himself, _**maybe this is what I really needed all along. Someone to stand by and a place to belong.**_

* * *

**I can say that this chapter was not as much inspired by the Rise of the Guardians fanfictions that I mentioned. Hiccup's becoming too confident. Maybe that's a good thing.**

**Not much else to say, so…maybe I'll see you again one (or more perhaps) more time before my vacation. Hope you enjoyed!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: July 10, 2015**


	11. The Chief's and The Elder's Decision

**Alright, chapter 11 coming your way! Nothing much else to say, so…**

**Review Replies:  
**

_**Litwick723**_**: That is a hope that I guarantee will come to pass. Will the events of RTTE take place with OCs? What do you mean? (If it involves spoilers, you can PM me the answer). I just don't know how to answer that question. Haha. **

_**Gordon519**_**: Hmm…I wonder too. Would be a good contrast to his status in his former home village.**

_**Spartan10007**_**: Thanks!**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Yeah, I won't be changing it. Just wouldn't fit with the original challenge material. Also, that's a good question. I guess we will have to see.**

_**The**__**Era**__**Thief**_**: Thanks!**

_**ladipretender**_**: I didn't used to put the datestamp on my chapters, but I realized that the site doesn't save it (not even in the author/writer control panel or anything) and I like to look back and see when I posted chapters sometimes. Anyway…yeah, I do plan to go a little more in depth into the dragon situation of Heather's island. That's actually coming up fairly soon. But…yeah, it's a good series. I'm still reading the sequel which (last time I checked) now has 42 chapters. Oh, and your review was great. It made perfect sense, but I understand what 3AM can do. Usually that's when I'm finishing up and posting chapters (which is probably why my endings usually suck).**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Took your advice on the names. I think they're great! Oh, Hiccup's going to have quite the role in this village. He's going to be pretty busy, I think. Also, the outfits and other various accessories will come, yes!**

* * *

Chapter 11: The Chief's and The Elder's Decision

It was growing dark and Hiccup was fully prepared to spend the night out in the clearing with Toothless. Though he continued to insist to Heather that she should go home before it became too cold, she was adamant about remaining with him. Finally, Hiccup gave up; there was no changing Heather's stubborn mind.

Just when Hiccup felt settled, a rustling in the surrounding woods alerted him and he tensed. _**Is it a wild dragon? If it is, am I ready to show Heather how I train dragons? What if it's worse than a wild dragon? Wait, what's worse than a wild dragon? Is there anything worse than a wild dragon?**_

All Hiccup could do was wait until whatever was making the noise stepped through the woods and into the clearing. He didn't have to wait long. Heather's parents, followed by two people that Hiccup did not recognize, stepped into the clearing and Hiccup relaxed at the slightly-familiar faces.

"So…this is the dragon you told me about," the older man spoke, his words directed to Heather's father. The older man's gaze then shifted to Hiccup who had sat up a little straighter when his muscles had started to tense. "And this must be the boy. Flame, is it?"

"Uh…yeah," Hiccup answered, his voice soft.

"I am Valdemar, the chief of the Peaceable Tribe of Sharkbane village. With me is Frida, our village elder and my wife." Hiccup acknowledged them both and the chief continued. "Now, if I understand correctly, you're interested in staying with us for some time, but you want to keep your dragon within the boundaries of our village. Is that correct?"

Hiccup nodded. "Yes, sir. I don't know if you've been told my story, but I have no home and Heather, here, has shown me that I could come to find a place here. I'd like that much because, from what I've seen already, your tribe is much more accommodating than the one I…left."

The chief listened, nodded occasionally to show that he was following.

"I know that as an outsider I am in no position to ask anything of you, but I do have one request. As I told Heather and her parents, I wish to keep my dragon because…well…I just refuse to part with him. We've been through too much together." Hiccup paused to take a deep breath. "As much as I would love to stay here in Sharkbane village, I will not live apart from my dragon. Regardless of what you choose, I respect your decision." Hiccup finished and waited to hear what the chief had to say.

Chief Valdemar and his wife talked in soft whispers, discussing what they had just heard. Finally, the chief turned back to Hiccup. "So, it's true, then? You can tame dragons?" he asked, gesturing to the calm Toothless who was still letting the two young humans lean against his side.

"Uh…yeah, I guess I know a few tricks," Hiccup answered, careful to reveal very little about himself and what he knew.

"I ask, "the chief continued, "Because we have a bit of a dragon problem here that plagues our normally quite peaceful tribe. You see, every so often, the dragons will come to our island and take our livestock. Though our tribe members prefer to remain peaceful, the dragons send out their war cry when they take what is ours…and we answer it with full-strength. However, we do not wish to fight; we want to see an end to this fighting between our tribe and the dragons that come to plague us."

Hiccup listening, nodded occasionally. "And you think that I could put an ending to the fighting?" he asked, trying to figure out the chief's true intentions.

"Perhaps," Valdemar answered, cryptically. "Indeed I have heard part of your story from Brokkr and Sage," he continued, gesturing to Heather's parents. "Needless to say, I am intrigued by you, young Flame. I would be honored if you wish to stay a while and become acquainted with my village and those who live within it. Just maybe you will find a place for yourself here."

"So…that means that you will allow my dragon to live within the boundaries of your village?"

"For the time being, I will. However, tonight, I want you to bring your dragon into the village under the cover of night. He may stay behind the house for the night. Tomorrow, you will explain this situation to the villagers. If you do not, I cannot guarantee the safety of your dragon's life…regardless of how tame he may seem."

Hiccup nodded. "Understood. Thank you, Chief."

"Brokkr and Sage will look for you later on tonight after night has fully fallen. I look forward to getting to know you, Flame."

The Chief and his wife left and were soon followed by Heather's parents. Hiccup and Heather waited in the clearing with Toothless for just a little while longer. _**Just needs to get a little darker and then we can go back to the village.**_ As they waited, Hiccup couldn't help but to recall the night he'd had to cut himself free from Toothless's saddle. He and Toothless had waited all afternoon in the cove and then moved to the outskirts of the Berk village at nightfall. Astrid had caught him that night and Hiccup was certain that was when her suspicions about him began. _**She was smart…too smart. Figured me out, but maybe it's better now that she did. No more hiding. It will definitely be better if I can truly find my place here. **_

"I'm really surprised that Chief Valdemar and Frida agreed to let your dragon live in our village," Heather spoke.

"Your dragon problem is that bad?"

"Well…kind of, I guess. It could probably be worse. At least the dragons don't raid our livestock too frequently. They just always seem to come when we are preparing our harvest to store away for the winter months."

Hearing this, Hiccup thought back to Berk. _**It must not be as bad here as it was on Berk. The dragon raids were so frequent there. Only stopping during the winter.**_ Surely nothing would've changed since he had left the island. Berk must still be raided frequently…and now he wasn't there to "screw it up" as everyone was so fond of yelling to him after all the raids in which he tried to be helpful.

"So, you think it's dark enough yet?" Heather asked, pulling Hiccup from his thoughts and memories.

To test, Hiccup held his hands out a short distance in front of his face. He could still see them, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. _**If we start walking back now, it should be dark enough by the time we reach the village edge.**_ "Yeah. I think so. Let's go to…"

"Home," Heather interrupted. "Let's go home, Flame."

* * *

**And there we have it! The decision. A little story on the names. I chose the names of the chief, Valdemar (Scandinavian for "peaceful ruler") and his wife/the elder, Frida (Scandinavian for "peace"). The challenge giver gave me the names of Heather's parents and also the tribe name and village name. So, I can only safely credit myself with the two names I mentioned first in this note.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: July 15, 2015**


	12. Telling The Villagers (Part 1)

**Review Replies:**

_**Gordon519**_**: It's definitely possible.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Actually, I was given the name of the tribe and island in the original challenge. I only ever read the first book, so I don't know much about that universe. Well, that reaction is the showcase of this chapter.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: I possibly could…but it wouldn't be posted in this story (because it would just break up the flow of the action we have going on here). However, I do have a story ("Outtakes and Extras") where I place added scenes like the one you described.**

_**Spartan10007**_**: That would be pretty funny! Haha.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Yeah, I'm pretty much exclusively updating this story and Your Own Personal Savior because they're the most requested. Glad to hear you say that the story is going well. I don't often take challenges because I'm afraid that I would never be able to live up to the expectations set by the idea's original creator, but that is you and you like the story, so it's a boost of confidence. Yeah, I was surprised that there weren't more Heathercup stories on this site, but Hiccstrid is canon, so I guess it makes sense.**

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Chapter 12: Telling The Villagers (Part 1)

Hiccup woke up the next morning on the couch in Heather's house. He had opted to sleep there tonight because, even though he was certain that Heather's parents trusted him, there was still something weird about sleeping in a girl's bedroom when that girl was also sleeping there. Though Heather's parents had protested and claimed that he did not have to subject himself to sleeping on "that old hard couch", Hiccup had insisted; the couch wasn't even really that hard anyway. It reminded him a bit of the bed he had slept in back on Berk.

When he'd first woken up, Hiccup had felt at peace. He had spent his first night here in Heather's village and so far everything was going great. However, as he thought about what he had to do today, the peaceful feeling shifted to one of nervousness and fear. That peace he had found here with Heather's people could very well be shattered today when he told them about his dragon. What would the reaction be? Even though the chief and the elder were okay with him staying, if the rest of the village called for his banishment, they would have to give in…wouldn't they?

"Oh, you're awake," Heather spoke, making her way from her bedroom to the couch where Hiccup still lay. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah," Hiccup answered, "Sleep was nice. Helped me to forget about what I have to do today."

Heather made to side down beside Hiccup and he shifted to sit upright so she would have room. "I'm sure that everything will be fine," she comforted as she gripped his hand in a soothing gesture.

Looking down at their hands, Hiccup took a deep breath in an attempt to steady himself. "Well, you'd have to understand that…the last time I tried something like this was right before…" he trailed off, but Heather knew immediately the reference that he made.

"Right before you left."

"I didn't leave," Hiccup reminded. "I was banished by the village chief. I guess…I'm just afraid that the same thing is going to happen here. Your village seems to have their own preconceived notions about dragons and…"

"You're afraid that it will be a repeat of what happened in your past," Heather finished again and Hiccup found himself stunned that she was so good at knowing what he was thinking.

He nodded. "Yeah…"

Heather squeezed Hiccup's hand to comfort him. "Everything will be fine, I promise. Come on, I'll make us some breakfast."

"You need any help?" Hiccup asked even though he already knew that he was not the world's best cook. He'd never really gotten enough practice before his banishment.

"That's okay. I'll be fine…but the company would be nice."

"Actually, I should probably feed my dragon," Hiccup remembered. "Do you have any fish? I promise I won't use them all. Just a few should do for now."

Heather nodded. "Yeah, there should be a basket outside. We don't keep them inside…for obvious reasons. Take as many as you need. We'll get more."

Hiccup walked slowly outside and around to the back of the house to where Toothless was resting peacefully. On his way, he slipped a few fish out of the storage basket. When he arrived to where Toothless lay, Hiccup placed the fish in front of the dragon and the Night Fury eagerly gobbled them up. "Well, Bud, you heard Chief Valdemar. Today's the day. How do you think it's going to go when we reveal your presence to the villagers?"

Toothless obviously did not speak an answer. In fact, he never even looked up to acknowledge that Hiccup had even just spoken.

"That well, huh? Yeah, I get it. I guess I should probably go get something to eat too. I heard that Heather is a pretty good cook."

Hiccup returned inside and was greeted by an amazing smell. On his way to the table, he wished a good morning to Heather's parents who were both now awake. Heather set a plate of food in front of Hiccup and he was quick to indulge. He wanted to eat slow, put off the necessary conversation for as long as possible, but he couldn't; the food that Heather had made was just too good and he found himself eating quicker. When he was finished, Hiccup pushed his plate away and sighed. "I guess I can't put it off anymore. I have to fulfill my part of the chief's proposition."

Heather pushed her plate forward as well. "I'll join you. You won't feel as nervous if I'm standing there with you."

Hiccup nodded. Heather was probably right. It would definitely be nice to have an ally in this. Together, Hiccup and Heather walked to the village center and found Chief Valdemar. The Chief, another ally, helped to gather the villagers.

When the villagers had gathered together in the town square, the Chief began. "Thank you all for taking this time out of your busy daily schedules. I want to introduce someone. Actually, I'll let him introduce himself."

He stepped back and nodded to Hiccup. With a gulp, Hiccup stepped forward and looked into the eyes of the gathered villagers. Hiccup wanted to shrink down and make himself smaller; this scene reminded him of all those times when he'd screw up back on Berk and then everyone would gaze deeply at him with their scowls and harsh whispers. There were none of those here, but that still did not make this any easier.

"Uh…good morning," he greeted and immediately wanted to slap himself_**. Come on, Hiccup! Keep it together!**_ "My name is Flame and…well…" he paused. What was he supposed to say? How could he lead into a conversation about keeping a dragon within their peaceful village?

He looked at Heather for support. She gave him a small smile. It wasn't much, but that gesture showed him that she had faith in him. He could do this!

Taking another deep breath, Hiccup gave the village an abbreviated version of his backstory, still leaving out details that would clue them in to the fact that he was the former heir of Berk. "So, as you can see, I have no home anymore. That's why, when I met Heather, and she offered me a place here in her village, your village, I found myself wanting that opportunity. More than anything. However, if I am going to stay here, I realize that I have to be completely honest with you all."

Hiccup took one last deep breath before continuing. Now was the moment of truth. How would the villagers react? There was only one way to find out.

* * *

**Yeah…I decided to split this up into two chapters. Create some suspense. Next chapter is the one you're all waiting for…and it will probably be up within a couple days (depending how busy life is—this weekend will be…kinda). **

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: July 17, 2015**


	13. Telling The Villagers (Part 2)

**Review Replies:**

_**ladipretender**_**: Haha. I never thought of it that way, but it does work, doesn't it? I will say that the villagers will learn about his true identity. I won't say yet when that will happen (because I don't yet know) but I do have that planned out. In response to what you said about the chapter 11 review, we will see a raid and we'll see how Hiccup reacts to that. **

_**Gordon519**_**: Yeah. Hopefully it does.**

_**Ken106348**_**: You bet! I love cliffhangers. **

_**Conttonmouth25**_**: Oh wow! Maybe I should hand over the reins for this story. Haha. Well, we'll see if I can cook up something similar to what you picture. Haha.**

_**The**__**Era**__**Thief**_**: Because I like cliffhangers? Maybe? Haha.**

* * *

Chapter 13: Telling The Villagers (Part 2)

Taking another deep breath, Hiccup gave the village an abbreviated version of his backstory, still leaving out details that would clue them in to the fact that he was the former heir of Berk. "So, as you can see, I have no home anymore. That's why, when I met Heather, and she offered me a place here in her village, your village, I found myself wanting that opportunity. More than anything. However, if I am going to stay here, I realize that I have to be completely honest with you all."

Hiccup took one last deep breath before continuing. Now was the moment of truth. How would the villagers react? There was only one way to find out.

Whistling loudly, Hiccup waited. Within minutes, Toothless jumped from his hiding place and over to stand beside Hiccup. There was a collective gasp from the gathered crowd as they realized that a live dragon now stood within their presence. Following the gasp, there was just silence as the villagers dared not move. Hiccup took this as an okay sign. They weren't demanding his banishment as the Berkians had done immediately upon seeing Toothless.

"This," Hiccup continued, gesturing to Toothless, "is my dragon. I have heard that you all do not have the best relations with the dragons here on your island, but I can assure you that mine is gentle. He's no trouble, I promise you that. This brings me back to what I saying. If I am going to stay and live here, I want to be completely honest. I will only stay if my dragon is allowed to stay here in the village with me. I have already talked with Chief Valdemar and he has left this choice up to you. Therefore…I am at your mercy." Hiccup paused, waiting for the answer, whatever it may be.

No one spoke and Hiccup began to grow nervous. _**This is it. I'm about to be banished for a second time. **_He braced himself for the inevitable.

A soft voice broke through Hiccup's thoughts and brought him back to the present. "What's your dragon's name?"

Hiccup looked to see that a young girl, probably no older than seven or eight had stepped forward slightly to question him. "His name is…uh…Toothless," Hiccup answered, debating whether to actually say the dragon's name.

The little girl giggled. "He has a funny name," she laughed, earning herself a gummy smile from the dragon. "Can I pet him?"

Smiling, Hiccup nodded. "Sure, but just be gentle, okay? He's still getting used to humans."

Cheering, the girl walked up to Toothless and gently ran her hand against his black scales. Toothless butted her with his head and she stumbled slightly but did not fall. The little girl laughed and all the villagers took in the scene playing out before them.

From somewhere deep in the crowd, one of the villagers began to applaud. Slowly, the clapping caught on until all the gathered villagers were clapping and cheering, giving Hiccup the answer he'd needed to hear. They had accepted him and had no complaints about letting Toothless live alongside them in the village.

Hiccup smiled, but it did not last as he was soon bombarded with the questions. "What type of dragon is it?" "How did you find him?" "How is he so…tame?" Not used to such attention, Hiccup soon felt overwhelmed.

Chief Valdemar stepped forward, raising his hands like a call to order. When the villagers had calmed down, the Chief spoke. "I'm sure Flame would be happy to talk with you and answer your questions. Just remember, though, he's still new so let's not overwhelm him."

The Chief turned to Hiccup who mouthed a quick "thank you" in gratitude. With a smile that seemed to reflect deep into his eyes, the aged Chief held out a hand for Hiccup to shake. "Welcome to the Peaceable Tribe, Flame."

Slowly, the crowd dispersed as the villagers returned to their daily lives. Some villagers lingered behind to talk with Hiccup and ask him questions about Toothless. Hiccup answered as best he could without giving away any information that would indicate his true identity. Someday he would reveal that he was actually Hiccup, former heir of Berk, but today was not to be that day.

When the crowd had finally cleared, Heather came up beside Hiccup. "See, I told you that everything would be okay," she smirked.

"Yeah, you were right…again," Hiccup answered, wearing a smirk of his own.

"Well, since you'll be sticking around, I guess you'll have to find a daily job," Heather spoke, continuing to guide Hiccup in his adjustment to living in her village.

"Oh, you mean that I can't just take advantage of my guest status and not do any work?" Hiccup teased. It was the first time he had let some of his old nature show since he had met Heather.

"You could," Heather teased back, "if you'd like to jeopardize your new place here within our village," she finished with a laugh.

Hiccup was impressed by Heather's teasing. _**I wonder if she rivals me with sarcastic answers. Maybe I'll get to find out someday.**_ "Well, I was the blacksmith's apprentice for a while in my old village before my banishment," Hiccup replied, his answers becoming serious again.

"You're in luck, then," Heather answered, "I'm sure you already know that my father is the village blacksmith. Let's go talk to him now. I'm sure that he would be happy if you would apprentice with him. Just be aware, he'll probably ask you to showcase your skills first…since you already were apprenticed in the past."

Hiccup was still learning the layout of the village, so Heather led the way. The village forge was similar to the one back on Berk and Hiccup found that he felt right at home when he stepped inside. As Heather had guessed, Brokkr asked Hiccup to demonstrate some of the skills and abilities he had been taught during his prior apprenticeship. Without hesitation, Hiccup showed off many things that he had learned from Gobber and the craftsmanship and work ethic greatly impressed Heather's father.

Hiccup and Heather stayed a while longer to talk with Brokkr who explained to Hiccup a little more about the daily work and expectations of the Sharkbane village blacksmith. By the end of the day, Hiccup left the forge with a day job as the blacksmith apprentice. Now, he truly felt as if he had finally found the place, the loving and welcoming village, where he belonged.

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**I know…the ending sucks. Sorry! It's late (2:30 AM), and I have so much on my mind. Interview on Wednesday and vacation next week. I may try to get one more Flame chapter in before vacation, but I don't know yet. We'll see. For now, I hope you enjoyed.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: July 21, 2015**


	14. Adjusting

**I'm back from vacation! Sorry, I did think about posting one last chapter before I left, but last minute preparations took precedence. **

**Only six more reviews until we find out the 100****th**** reviewer of Flame! Who's it going to be?**

**Review Replies:**

_**fuzzybunnies1001**_**: I've never watched that show, so I'll take your word for it. Haha.**

_**Litwick723**_**: Yeah, I was in a rush because of vacation coming up and such. **

_**ladipretender**_**: Your character study of Hiccup is on point. That's exactly what he was worried about. As for Hiccup, I think we'll slowly start to see more of his old personality return as he begins to feel at home. Don't get me wrong. There's still dragon raids on Heather's island They're just less frequent. Anyway, I'll finish the review replies and then it's story time!**

_**Gordon519**_**: That will be interesting! I wonder too!**

_**Ken106348**_**: I agree. Gotta start small and work up to it. That's why the Heathercup will not be immediate. That's also unrealistic. **

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Thanks! I had a great vacation! Now it's time for the new chapter.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: I edited the chapter. No need content. Just fixing those little typos.**

_**Pegueng**_**: Thanks! The interview…I didn't hear back. Either way, so I'm still keeping my hopes up. As for vacation, it was so much fun! I am glad to be back, though.**

_**maga (anonymous)**_**: Thanks! I'm glad that you like it.**

* * *

Chapter 14: Adjusting

Adjusting to daily live in Sharkbane Village turned out to be easy and Hiccup was grateful that the Peaceable Tribe were like a much more tolerable version of the Berkian Hooligan tribe. Heather's parents continued to prove to be accommodating, ensuring that Hiccup was properly nourished with plentiful food and suitable sleeping arrangements. Hiccup was truly grateful for Heather's family and all that they had done for him, but he couldn't help feeling a little guilty at times. They had never asked for him to come into their lives, but still they treated him as if he was their own son. No matter how many times he assured them that he would adjust to daily life and then he would go out and make a place for himself to live and take care of himself, they always assured him that it was perfectly fine for him to live under their roof.

It was probably just the lingering feelings of resentment to Berk, but the memories of his fifteen years as a Hooligan were still fresh and raw. He didn't want to be a burden to Heather's parents who had been so caring to him. They continually reminded him that he was not a burden and that they truly cared about him. Hiccup wanted so much to just believe this, but his thoughts would always remind him of Berk and he would agree just so he could change the subject before the pain and anger returned. That would lead to Hiccup keeping the ideas and plans to himself. Soon, when he was ready, he would set them into motion and stop being such a burden (because, no matter how much Brokkr and Sage tried to convince him otherwise, old thoughts die hard). That didn't mean that he would totally cut himself away from Heather and her parents. Instead, he would just work towards becoming more independent. Still, one step at a time…and if that meant living under their roof and continuing his apprenticeship with Brokkr, all while growing more and more used to the villagers and daily tasks around him, so be it.

Hiccup had managed to impress Brokkr with his previously-learned skills and the village's master blacksmith continued to teach Hiccup more and more tricks of the trade in hopes that someday the boy could potentially take over the position in the future. Most of Hiccup's days were spent in the hot forge, helping Brokkr. Sure, the master blacksmith offered Hiccup days off, but the boy usually declined. What else did he have to do? He didn't know many of the other villagers and he actually enjoyed his apprenticeship. Brokkr, unlike Gobber, did not mock and laugh at him when his size hindered his ability. Instead, the master blacksmith was eager to help just as his apprentice was equally eager to assist when needed. The only reason Hiccup took days off was to hang out with Heather, but she often hung around the forge already.

Today, at the forge, Hiccup was helping Brokkr to forge some weapons. Though the tribe was peaceful and hoped to avoid war, Brokkr explained, they always needed to have a stash of weapons, just in case. "Whether it is to defend ourselves in dragon raids or just in the slight chance that we are invaded by another tribe, we do not want to be caught defenseless."

Hiccup nodded. That made sense. No tribe, regardless of how peaceful they may seem, wanted to be left with no defenses should they find themselves in a situation where they would need them. Forging weapons with Brokkr should be easy enough. Back on Berk, Hiccup'd had the opportunity to forge some of the weapons. Not often, though, because of the bad luck that always seemed to befall him. Because of it, Hiccup most often was stuck sharpening dull weapons, a rather boring task. At least Brokkr was confident enough to allow him to help forge weapons.

As they worked, Brokkr explained the methods that he used to create each weapon. Hiccup was impressed. Brokkr used some different techniques than Gobber and the apprentice found himself wondering if Brokkr's weapons were stronger and more useful than the ones Gobber made. Before apprenticing under Brokkr, Hiccup had thought Gobber to be the best blacksmith out there, but now he was not so sure.

"We've been working to predict the general times when the dragons come to raid our livestock," Brokkr explained to Hiccup as they worked. "It is again approaching that time, so we need to be sure to have plenty of weapons at the ready. We don't like to use them and we never kill the dragons without reason. Instead, we merely try to drive them off the island with as few casualties, villagers and livestock, as possible. However, there are times where we do need to defend ourselves. That's why we have these weapons."

"I understand," Hiccup answered. Truthfully, he was grateful. He did not think he could live in another village that praised themselves with needlessly killing dragons.

The pair worked most of the day, as usual. When the sun had begun to approach the horizon, Brokkr set down his tools. "How about we call it a day? We have enough weapons for now and, besides, Sage and Heather have probably prepared us another amazing dinner."

Hiccup, following the master blacksmith's actions, also set his tools down with a nod of agreement. He didn't admit it out loud, but Hiccup had grown to really enjoy the meals prepared by Sage and Heather.

Through his apprenticeship, Hiccup had really gotten to know Heather's father. The man was caring and patient, everything that Hiccup's own father had never been. On the walk home, Hiccup felt comfortable enough to engage in brief conversation with the master blacksmith. It made the walk home seem so much shorter.

Walking into the door, the first thing Hiccup noticed was the smell of freshly-prepared dinner. As expected, it smelled amazing and Hiccup was quick to take his seat at the table. Sage and Heather took turns bringing out the prepared dinner and setting it on the table top. As always, Brokkr and Hiccup waited for the women to sit before taking portions of the food and setting them upon their plates. Hiccup had observed early on that it was a gesture out of respect. They would always eat as a family, so they would always wait until everyone was seated at the table.

"So, Flame, you're adjusting well to life here in our village, right?" Heather asked, sparking conversation.

Heather's question reminded Hiccup of two things. First, that he needed to come up with a new name. He'd been living here in the village for almost two weeks now and he was still using that stupid pseudonym that he had come up with back when he did not want to trust Heather. He would get on that. Second, that he should really take a day off from his apprenticeship soon. He felt like he only saw and talked with Heather at dinner and for a few hours at night afterwards. Even when she visited him at the Forge, he was always hard at work and could barely spare a couple seconds to greet her with a smile.

"I think so," Hiccup answered, "Everyone is so…friendly. It's quite a change from my old village."

Heather must've sensed how Hiccup was feeling because she replied, "It's probably best to move on and not think about your old village. You'll see. Everything will turn out okay."

Hiccup smiled and that was all the reply he needed. So far, Heather had always been right when she said those words to him. She continued to promise him that everything would be okay and he was satisfied so far.

A commotion outside the house snapped Hiccup back to reality. Around him, Heather and her parents had tensed as if ready to jump out and race out the door. "What's going on?" Hiccup yelled, feeling left out of something important…and somewhat scary.

"That's the alarm," Heather answered simply, not giving Hiccup enough details to fully understand.

"It means," Brokkr elaborated, "that dragons have been spotted. They've come to raid. Come, Flame, we need to get to the Forge and grab those weapons we made."

The blacksmith was out the door before Hiccup could fully process his words. Hiccup was impressed with the blacksmith's agility, but now was not the time to think about that. Without question, Hiccup jumped from his own seat and ran out the door toward the forge. He did not know what to expect from the impending dragon raid, but Hiccup did know one thing. He was not looking forward to it. _**Not again.**_

* * *

**Wrote this chapter all in one night…even though I probably should be sleeping for work tomorrow morning. I know it's probably not my best, but that tends to happen when you leave for a week and are just going on plans that were written out months ago. Next chapter should be better. Hope you enjoyed it anyway.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: August 5, 2015**


	15. Something's Not Right

**I'm so super impressed that this story has reached over 100 reviews in less than 15 chapters! It started off so slow that there were times that I wondered if you, my readers, were enjoying it enough to continuing writing the chapters. Yet, here we are, still going strong! Well, we're not done yet, so…here we go!**

**P.S. Congratulations to 100****th**** reviewer: Braggy! **

**Review Replies:**

_**Braggy**_**: Congratulations on posting the 100****th**** review to Flame! I'm also glad you're enjoying the story.**

_**Midnight**__**Wonders**_**: Thanks! Yeah, I was wondering if we'd reach that milestone. Hard to believe I only used to update this story once a month. **

_**The**__**Silent**__**Fury**_**: Well, these people prefer not to fight them. They're not like Berk who seem to enjoy fueling the war.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: Thanks!**

_**ladipretender**_**: Your review was fine! I'm glad, though, that it has cooled off a bit here. P.S. I never noticed that the family never seems to eat a complete meal. Haha. As for the raid, that's up next. I'm sure it will be much different.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Haha. Trust me. I wouldn't be much of a blacksmith either. I'm not going to further elaborate why. I'll just leave that to the imagination. Thanks! It's good to be back.**

_**Ken106348**_**: Good questions. I can say that both will be answered in time. (The answers have been written into my story plans since the beginning.)**

* * *

Chapter 15: Something's Not Right

The blacksmith was out the door before Hiccup could fully process his words. Hiccup was impressed with the blacksmith's agility, but now was not the time to think about that. Without question, Hiccup jumped from his own seat and ran out the door toward the forge. He did not know what to expect from the impending dragon raid, but Hiccup did know one thing. He was not looking forward to it. _**Not again.**_

In the forge, Hiccup helped Brokkr to hastily arrange the freshly-created weapons in a large wheelbarrow that the blacksmith kept nearby. Of course, Brokkr did most of the work carrying the heavy weapons over to the wheelbarrow, but Hiccup assisted as best he could.

"I'll show you the spot where we place the cart. It's strategic so that the dragons don't destroy it. Remember, the weapons are there for self-defense only. We try to avoid fighting the dragons at all costs," Brokkr quickly explained once again to Hiccup.

_**No need to tell me twice! **_"Don't worry," Hiccup reassured. "I have no intention to fight them at all."

Hiccup ran after Brokkr as the blacksmith showed his apprentice the place where the weapon cart would rest. The boy knew that he was shown this not because he would someday be expected to wheel the cart out to this location; he knew that he'd never be strong enough to successfully push the large nearly-full wheelbarrow. No, Brokkr showed Hiccup this location just in case he needed to grab a weapon for self-defense. _**Hopefully it won't come to that.**_

When the wheelbarrow was secured in its place, Hiccup tried to follow Brokkr but the blacksmith moved fast and Hiccup soon became lost in the crowd of villagers. Already, from what small portion Hiccup had seen of the raid, he could tell that the Peaceable Tribe took a much different approach than the Berk Hooligans. Back home, by this point, the Hooligans would already be ruthlessly defending their territory and livestock. Here, though, the Peaceable Tribe did not engage the watched along with the others in the tribe. He found that he still felt caught in the middle. Though he was not interested in fighting and killing the dragons, Hiccup still did not feel that it was right to just let the island be overrun and allow the dragons to just take the livestock that these villagers had worked hard to raise.

As Hiccup stared in dismay at the scene playing out in front of him, he did not notice Heather approach him from behind until she gripped his hand. He jumped slightly at the sudden contact, but relaxed when he noticed Heather. "Is this how raids go?" he asked her. "The villagers really all just sit and watch while their resources are taken?"

"We told you, Flame. We don't like to fight and if that means letting the dragons do as they please, then that's what happens," Heather answered.

Hiccup dropped his hand from Heather's and turned sharply to face her. "Look, I don't want to fight the dragons either, but this isn't right!" he yelled, his words lost on everyone except Heather (but only because she was actually listening to him rather than watching the dragons make off with the village's livestock). "You can't just let the dragons take all your resources! I'm sure you all have worked hard to maintain your supply of livestock and you're all just going to watch as the dragons take that away? What will the villagers do during the winter if the dragons deplete all your resources?"

Heather looked down. "We make do, Flame. Just like always. Sharkbane Village is not new. The Peaceable Tribe has always managed to survive. We can make it work. Everything always turns out okay in the end."

Hiccup's gaze hardened. _**They may be content, but I am not. These raids need to stop.**_ "You may be perfectly okay with it, but I'm not," he replied, turning and taking a step toward the nearest dragon.

"Wait!" Heather grabbed Hiccup's shoulder to stop him. "What are you going to do?" she asked nervously.

Shrugging off Heather's hand, Hiccup glanced back quickly. "I'm not going to fight it, if that's what you're worried about." He took another step slowly toward the dragon. _**I'll train it. Maybe that's all we ever really needed to do. Could it be that simple?**_

As he stepped out from among the crowd and closer to the nearest dragon, a Monstrous Nightmare, Hiccup could feel the villagers' eyes staring at his back. They could see that he possessed no weapons so they did not stop Hiccup. He could hear the whispers and murmurs. _**They're interested to see what I plan to do.**_ Only briefly did Hiccup wonder if it was a good idea to show them his skill. _**I've lived among them for a couple weeks now. They won't banish me simply for knowing how to train dragons. This isn't Berk, Hiccup. Everything will turn out okay. Just like Heather always says. **_

Hiccup stepped closer and closer. He now had the dragon's full attention. As he approached, Hiccup noticed something strange. The dragon's eyes were wide and out of focus, nothing like Toothless's sharp eyes that seemed to stare deep into his very soul. _**What is up with that?**_

Close (but not too close) to the dragon, Hiccup set his plan into motion. Just as he had done with Toothless weeks ago, Hiccup dropped his head and extended his arm, waiting for the Nightmare to touch it and show its complete trust in him. Hiccup could hear the villagers' murmuring continue, but he paid no attention; he needed to fully concentrate on training the Nightmare.

Minutes passed and he still didn't feel the dragon's scales against his hand. _**This is taking even longer than when I bonded with Toothless.**_ Was it possible that the bonding technique he had stumbled upon back in the cove on Berk did not always work? Was there a step that he was missing?

Because he was so focused on his task, Hiccup almost missed hearing Heather call his name…well, his pseudo-name before he felt a weight pushing him off to the side. Hitting the ground, Hiccup whirled around to see that the spot where he had just stood was now burning with the flames that the Nightmare had shot, flames that had been intended to scorch him to a crisp. Gasping for breath, Hiccup tried to process all that had happened. _**It doesn't make sense!**_ "I-I don't understand," he stuttered. "That usually works."

Heather stood over Hiccup and offered a hand to help Hiccup stand. He gratefully accepted and allowed her to help him back up to his feet. She grimaced slightly at the weight upon her arm and that did not go unnoticed by Hiccup. "Heather, what happened to your arm?" he asked her, glancing the charred sleeve of her clothing.

"When I pushed you," Heather answered, "the dragon's fire grazed my arm. It could've been a lot worse. After the raid, I'll get my mother to treat it." Glancing between the Nightmare (which had taken flight by this time) and Hiccup, Heather asked him the question that was weighing on her mind. "What were you thinking? That was crazy."

Trusting Heather, Hiccup revealed the secret. "It's a technique I learned to train dragons. It's how I bonded with Toothless. Still…it's never failed before. Something's not right."

"Something's not right? Of course, something's not right, Flame!" Heather answered, worried for her new friend who seemed unconcerned that he'd come mighty close to being roasted by Monstrous Nightmare flames. "What kind of person just steps up, unarmed, to a dragon and then looks away, totally exposing himself to it?"

"That's part of the technique. It shows the dragon that you place your complete trust in it. However, that's not what I'm talking about. I was talking about its eyes. They were…different."

"What do you mean, Flame?"

"The Nightmare's eyes were unfocused. They were much different than Toothless's clear eyes." Hiccup paused, puzzling over what he had just seen. _**Could it be? Is that the answer?**_ He had a theory, but it sounded strange, even to him. "I think I might know why the dragons raid the villages."

* * *

**There we have it…the raid. Also, another cliffhanger. Don't we all just love those? Well, I've got nothing much to say, so I'll let you all get back to your reading!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: August 11, 2015**


	16. Dragon's Den

**How about we resolve that cliffhanger? What do you say? I don't know about you, but I don't actually have much to say. **

**Review Replies:**

_**warorpeace**_**: Yes, I do love cliffhangers. As for what's to happen, well…let's find out in this chapter.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: That is true…for both statements, I suppose.**

_**Pegueng**_**: Astrid ratted out Hiccup before the Romantic Flight sequence could…for lack of better phrase…take flight. Maybe I won't end this chapter on a cliffhanger. No guarantees, though.**

_**ladipretender**_**: First, your reviews are not subpar. I love reading them! Honestly, I'd rather read reviews about readers' genuine thoughts because it shows me what worked and what could've used improvement. Maybe I'm the only strange writer who judges themselves based on the thoughts of their readers.**

_**IshipClace12345678910**_**: I'm glad you love it! Here's another chapter for you.**

**_Noctus Fury (anonymous)_: Some of the answers you seek are actually going to be in this chapter. There's definitely next time to be a top reviewer. I foresee "crowning" several top reviewers in this story before it ends. **

* * *

Chapter 16: Dragon's Den

"The Nightmare's eyes were unfocused. They were much different than Toothless's clear eyes." Hiccup paused, puzzling over what he had just seen. Could it be? Is that the answer? He had a theory, but it sounded strange, even to him. "I think I might know why the dragons raid the villages."

Heather did not stop Hiccup or question him and he took that as indication to continue. "I know this may sound, I dunno…out there or something, but I think these dragons are being controlled by something."

"You think they're under some sort of spell or something?" Heather asked after a moment, taking the brief pause of time to understand what she had just heard.

"Something like that," Hiccup confirmed, "but there's only one way to find out…and you're going to call me stupid for even suggesting it." In the glow from some of the burning fires (there definitely were not as many as there usually was on Berk during raids), he could see Heather's eyes widen. "I'm going to fly with Toothless and follow the dragon…to see where they go to once they leave this island."

"Flame! That's…" Heather yelled, but she was interrupted.

"Crazy? Yeah, well aware of that. Crazy ideas are just a part of what makes me…well, me. However, I don't have to go alone. Want to join me and Toothless? Who knows? Maybe we'll figure out this dragon raid mystery…and, I'd like to find out together…if you want."

Heather's hardened gaze softened when she heard his words. "I'd like that. Besides, I really don't want you to go alone. Who knows how dangerous this crazy idea of yours will actually turn out to be?" She started to walk back toward her house where Toothless was most likely to be found. "Besides, if something does go wrong," she joked, turning back to Hiccup, "someone will have to be there to scrap up your dead body."

Shuttering, Hiccup followed Heather. "Well, in that case, let's hope that nothing goes wrong."

As the two approached the house, Hiccup whistled, alerting Toothless to his presence. They were well within range (at least, Hiccup assumed that Toothless could hear them from here; he had not actually had time yet to test the distance range of his dragon's hearing) so Toothless should hear the whistle and come to join them.

Hearing the auditory signal, Toothless jumped out from behind the house. "Go ahead and get seated," Hiccup told Heather. "I'm just going to quickly get my flying gear from inside your house." Racing inside, Hiccup easily found his riding vest among his other minimal belongings. Removing his fur vest, he dropped it onto the couch and lifted the riding vest over his head and let it sit on his chest, buckling it to secure it. Ready to go, Hiccup raced back outside and climbed onto Toothless, taking his place in front of Heather. He made sure to secure his vest to Toothless's saddle before giving the Night Fury the "all clear" to fly; he did not know what they would come across on this flight and he definitely did not want to be thrown from the saddle in mid-air again.

Leaning in closer to Toothless's ear, Hiccup whispered, "Try to follow one of the dragons. I want to find out where they're going." He could feel Toothless's uneasiness, but the Night Fury did as asked.

"Stay low," Hiccup whispered to Heather and they both dropped down closer to Toothless's scales in hopes that the other dragons would not notice them. Keeping low, Hiccup stole glances at the other dragons and relaxed slightly. He and Heather did not have to worry much. All the other dragons appeared to see through unfocused eyes just like the Nightmare he had tried to train.

Toothless's speed picked up and Hiccup was not prepared. Stifling a scream, he patted his dragon's neck. "I know you're nervous, Bud, but…" He did not get a chance to finish as Toothless shook off his hand. _**What?**_ Hiccup managed to catch a glimpse of Toothless's eyes. They were as clear as ever; he was not being controlled like the other dragons. That, at least, was a relief. _**It must be because he's just that scared,**_ Hiccup reasoned. _**It'll be okay**_, he silently reassured the dragon (even though he knew Toothless would never hear). _**We'll get in, find out what's going on, and then return to Sharkbane Village.**_

Up ahead the fog grew denser. Hiccup had not taken much notice of the clouds and fog but as it grew thicker, he couldn't ignore its presence. Toothless flew into the fog and as they put more distance between them and Sharkbane Village, the fog slowly started to clear, revealing a tall mountain directly in front of them.

"All the dragons are flying into the mountain," Heather noticed. "I wonder what's in there," she whispered to Hiccup.

"I don't know," Hiccup replied back in a whisper, "but something tells me that we're about to find out."

Toothless's speed continued to pick up, but Hiccup did not try asking the dragon to slow down; the Night Fury was no longer listening to him. It was as if Toothless were flying on his own, but Hiccup did make several subtle adjustments to the placement of the tailfin so that the dragon and two humans did not fall from the sky.

Toothless, following the rest of the flock of dragons, flew in to a side entrance that Hiccup had not noticed. Inside the mountain, it was dark and it took several minutes for Hiccup's eyes to adjust. Though he could not see well as his eyes adjusted, Hiccup still tried to stay on top of Toothless's tailfin placements. He must've done a fair job because Toothless kept flying, circling around a wide open space before landing high in a rocky crevice.

From his vantage point on the high cliff, Hiccup had a great view and was able to see more than he'd ever expected. There were dragons everywhere. No matter what direction he turned, Hiccup could see dragons, all recognizable types—Gronkles, Nadders, Nightmares, and Zipplebacks. That was when Hiccup realized it. _**This must be the nest! This is the place my father has been searching for! Oh, what he wouldn't give to find this! He never will, though. Something tells me that only a dragon can find this place.**_

"Flame, look!" Heather whispered, catching his attention.

She was pointing out to a line of dragons. They all clutched livestock that they had surely taken from Sharkbane Island. As Hiccup watched, the dragons, one-at-a-time, dropped their livestock down into a clouded hole.

"Nice of them to take the village's livestock and dump all of it down a hole," Hiccup answered in a sarcastic whisper without taking his eyes from the scene.

"It's strange, though," Heather wondered in a whisper. "Why aren't they eating anything? Why would they raid and take the livestock just to dump them down some hole?"

The answer came soon after as they both watched a Gronkle approach the hole. Carrying nothing, the small dragon regurgitated a small fish and let it slide into the hole. Hiccup and Heather waited, their breaths catching in their throats. A tense minute later, they both heard an angry sound from deep in the cloudy hole. Before they could even wonder what had made the sound, a massive dragon's head rose from the cloudy hole and snapped its jaws around the ignorant Gronkle. When the Gronkle was secured between the massive head's teeth, the head lowered back down into the clouds that concealed it from view. All around, the other dragons cowered away in fear at the appearance of the dragon's head.

Despite himself, Hiccup couldn't help but to gasp. _**What the? Oh, Gods…what was that thing?**_

* * *

**Yes, you're not imagining it. The ending of this chapter was quite similar to the scene from the movie. However, I did not watch the movie while writing this because it's not meant to be the same. Still, Hiccup's assumption was pretty much correct, no? P.S. Yes, the title of the chapter is inspired by the title of the track that plays during this scene in the movie. **

**Well, that's about it, so I guess I'll talk to you all again next time!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: August 18, 2015**


	17. Escaping From The Dragon's Den

**Feels like it's been forever since I updated Flame…or any other of my stories, for that matter. Really, it's only been a few months, but…hi! I had to go on an extended hiatus because of my job(s). I planned to update more over Thanksgiving break, but, of course, my laptop decided to crap out on me. So, here's the next chapter! … I just need to look back over my notes first. It's been so long that I forgot where we stopped in the storyline. **

**Review Replies:**

_**Gordon519**_**: Probably something similar will occur, yeah.**

_**Amy (anonymous)**_**: Good question. The romance will be a bit slow in this story. At least, for right now, the story is driven by action—finding the Red Death and eradicating it to end the raids. Although, I feel that there be some romance elements (or hints) creeping into the plotline rather soon.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Haha. This review reminds me of a story I read once where (in a modern-day setting) Hiccup and Astrid kept trading science puns back and forth…and then they moved on to driving puns. I really wish that story hadn't been removed by the writer. It was so good!**

_**Spartan10007**_**: That's okay because I've been pretty busy too, actually.**

_**ladipretender**_**: We'll probably never know the answer to that one…since the story is told from Hiccup's perspective. I think you're right about that. If they were to leave unscathed…well, what kind of story would that be? Sorry to keep you waiting. Life's been pretty hectic around here (just like it always is during the school year). **

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Thanks! I'm really basing Hiccup on myself here. I'm not quick to opening up to anyone…especially having been wronged in the past. Good questions! I can definitely tell you that we have not seen the last of Berk!**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 17: Escaping From The Dragon's Den

"Flame, look!" Heather whispered, catching his attention.

She was pointing out to a line of dragons. They all clutched livestock that they had surely taken from Sharkbane Island or, perhaps, some other nearby island. As Hiccup watched, the dragons, one-at-a-time, dropped their livestock down into a clouded hole.

"Nice of them to take the village's livestock and dump all of it down a hole," Hiccup answered in a sarcastic whisper without taking his eyes from the scene.

"It's strange, though," Heather wondered in a whisper. "Why aren't they eating anything? Why would they raid and take the livestock just to dump them down some hole?"

The answer came soon after as they both watched a Gronkle approach the hole. Carrying nothing, the small dragon regurgitated a tiny fish and let it slide into the hole. Hiccup and Heather waited, their breaths catching in their throats. A tense minute later, they both heard an angry sound from deep in the cloudy hole. Before they could even wonder what had made the sound, a massive dragon's head rose from the cloudy hole and snapped its jaws around the ignorant Gronkle. When the Gronkle was secured between the massive head's teeth, the head lowered back down into the clouds that concealed it from view. All around, the other dragons cowered away in fear at the appearance of the dragon's head.

Despite himself, Hiccup couldn't help but to gasp. _**What the?** **Oh, Gods…what was that thing?**_

Hiccup tried to still his breathing, fearing that even the slightest intake would alert the massive dragon. _**Don't breathe. Don't move.**_ He couldn't help then to think back to the Book of Dragons which Gobber had suggested all the teenagers on Berk read during dragon training. The words from the Night Fury entry came back to Hiccup then. _**Hide and pray it does not find you. **_Now this was the dragon where those words especially rang true.

"Flame," Heather whispered, "We need to get out of here."

Hiccup quietly shushed Heather. He did not want to risk having that massive dragon hear her voice. Motioning to Toothless, Hiccup quietly led Heather back to the saddle. When they were both aboard, Hiccup directed Toothless quietly to the edge of the ledge.

For just a moment, it appeared that luck would finally be on Hiccup's side. However, before Toothless could take to the skies, a rustling came again from below, causing the cliff on which they stood to shake. The massive dragon's head rose again and Hiccup could see it sniffing. _**Oh, Gods, it must have caught our scents. We need to go. **_

The time for stealth was over. "Toothless, now!"

Without hesitation, Toothless (among a swarm of many other dragons from the lair) took to the air, flying toward the exit. Hiccup listened back and could hear the massive dragon rising higher and higher. _**It's probably trying to eat us. Nice raw Viking. That sounds…**_ He did not finish his thoughts as he thought he caught the sounds of the massive dragon's strong jaws clamping down upon an innocent dragon. Not Toothless, luckily, but Hiccup still felt sorry for the unfortunate victim.

Toothless flew upwards as quickly as he could, but that was difficult with the swarm of dragons surrounding them. Hiccup chanced a look behind him and saw the massive dragon rising higher. The massive dragon was growing angry and Hiccup noticed it getting ready to launch an attack at the swarm of dragons.

"Dodge!" Hiccup cried out, but he feared that his voice was swallowed up and unheard in their chaotic surroundings.

Somehow, Toothless must have caught Hiccup's voice over the commotion. The Night Fury swerved and Hiccup braced himself in the saddle. He caught Heather's right arm, securing her. Though they managed to dodge the brunt of the attack, the flames caught Heather's left arm and she yelped in pain. Hiccup wanted to stop and tend to the wound, but he fought back the urge. First they had to get to a safe place where he could take a good look at the burn and assess its seriousness.

Breaking out of the dragon's nest was not an easy process (not with all the other dragons fighting their way out too), but somehow Toothless managed to escape with Hiccup and Heather (aside from the burn) no worse for the wear.

"Take us back to the village, Bud. We need to tend to Heather's burn," Hiccup whispered to his friend once they were successfully back out in the open.

Hiccup breathed in the night air and felt the air around him cool. He had not noticed how much hotter it had been in the dragon's nest. Thinking of the hot air reminded Hiccup of Heather's injury. "Are you okay?" he asked her, concerned.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I've had worse," Heather answered, attempting to smile. However, the expression morphed as the pain overtook her again and she grit her teeth to prevent herself from crying out.

"Hold on. Once we get to the village, I can look at the burn and see what I can do to help it heal," Hiccup replied. "I mean…if you want me to, that is," he added as an afterthought.

Though the ride back to the village was short, it felt longer to Hiccup knowing that Heather was in pain from the burn on her arm. It frustrated him that he couldn't do anything to immediately help ease her pain. When they finally did touch down on the grounds of the village, Hiccup did not wait around or offer to help the villagers pick up from the raid that had ended while they were away. He had to help Heather.

They were barely on the ground before Hiccup gripped Heather's uninjured arm and pulled her into the house. He could tell that she was a bit surprised by his brisk actions, but Hiccup did not give her an opportunity to question his change in demeanor. "Do you have any healing herbs that I could use to create an ointment for that burn?"

"Uh…I don't know what my mother has, but…whatever we have would be in there," Heather replied, using her uninjured right arm to gesture towards the room where the family stored their foods.

"Stay right there, okay? Moving too much will aggravate the burn." Hiccup, confident that Heather would not wish to irritate the burned skin on her arm, headed to the food storage to survey the family's herb supply. He didn't know much about healing herbs, but he had sat and watched Gothi combine herbs to create ointment pastes before. He'd been but a young Viking then and he wasn't confident now that this knowledge would suffice, but if he could help to ease Heather's pain just a little until her mother returned home, that would be satisfying enough for Hiccup.

Hiccup looked through the assortment of bottled stored herbs, trying to decipher the names of the herbs and recall what each was used for. Knowing his luck, he'd combine some of the herbs into an ointment and it would just intensify the pain from the burn. Should he even be attempting this?

After a few minutes, Hiccup decided to combine some of the herbs that he remembered seeing Gothi use when he watched her all those years ago. _**Hopefully these aren't used to cure some sickness or something.** _Finding a cloth, Hiccup dipped it in a nearby bucket of cold clean water and wrung it out until it was just a little damp, enough to sooth the pain without further aggravating it.

Returning to the main room where Heather waited, Hiccup sat beside her and laid the damp cloth upon his knees to allow him room on which to spread the (hopefully!) healing ointment. When the cloth was slathered in the green paste, Hiccup raised his eyes to meet Heather's. "This will probably sting a little as I wrap it around the burn, but it should hopefully help to ease the pain shortly."

As expected, Heather winced and bit back the pain as Hiccup wrapped the damp ointment-infused cloth across the raw irritated skin. Hiccup wished he could speed up the process and finish quickly, but he knew that would just be more painful. It hurt him, though, to know that the slow wrapping process was just as painful. Finally, once the cloth had been successfully wrapped around the burn, Hiccup secured it in place and sat back.

Neither Heather nor Hiccup spoke for several minutes. Once the pain of her burn started to subside, Heather asked Hiccup, "You are familiar with healing herbs and procedures?"

"Kind of," Hiccup answered. "I sometimes used to watch the healer in my old village. Mostly when I was younger. You see…I…didn't really fit in there, so I watched her work and wondered sometimes if that was something I could do since I couldn't really fight or…"

"You'll fit in here, Flame," Heather interrupted. "I just know that you will."

Hiccup smiled at Heather's tender words. _**I hope so, Heather. I really do.**_

* * *

**I know…it probably feels a bit short and rushed, but I'm still trying to remember where I was going with all my stories. Hopefully, I'll be able to get back into this writing thing again soon...like in a couple months.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame.**

**Posted: December 1, 2015**


	18. Just Have To Believe In Yourself

**I know...I know, the last chapter was short. Look, I'm trying, guys, but it's hard with having to take these hiatus times because I have two jobs and stuff. Hopefully, with it being winter break now, I can get a few chapters posted while this story's plot outline is still fresh in my mind. It's a goal. One that probably won't happen, but every writer can dream, right?**

**So, random side note, apparently "Flame" is on a list of 200 Cute Nicknames to Call Your Boyfriend. Oh the things you find on Pinterest. Haha.**

**Review Replies:**

_**ivanganev1992**_**: Well, Hiccup doesn't know all the dragon information yet that he knows in the canon series. He left Berk before he could really deeply study dragons. We'll probably see a little about how Heather's feeling since the burn. Hiccup's getting closer to ditching his "Flame" alias. He just needs to feel that he can trust these people first.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Oh my gosh, yes, I updated the story! Holy crap! Seriously, though, I have missed writing. Tell me about it. That always happens to me. I remember a story plot and forget the title. Then, when I finally remember the title to go search it, it's gone. **

_**Ken106348**_**: I know. I really am trying to work on it. It'll get easier in mid-January when I won't be on extended hiatus anymore.**

_**ladipretender**_**: I believe you are right on that detail, actually. To be honest, it's been so long that I don't really remember what I wrote for this story. Well, that will all be coming up…probably in this chapter will be the start of it, at least. Thanks. I'm lucky that I have this back-up laptop, but I'm afraid to run it too much because it is pretty old and if it dies…well…yeah.**

**_Anxious One (anonymous)_: I had not thought of that when writing, but now I'm thinking it probably is the same arm. No wonder a simple graze feels so much more painful! Also, I think it's safe to say that Hiccup is starting to realize that Heather will stand by him. We'll see that surface a bit in this chapter. After this update, I'll still be on extended hiatus for about two more weeks...and then I'll have two weeks of active status...and then I may/may not go back on extended hiatus for two more months. Yay for two jobs and uncertainty.**

**_Noctus Fury (anonymous)_: Yes, he would! Yeah...extended hiatus. It's still uncertain right now on what my status will be from now until April, but what I mentioned in the previous reply is what I know right now.**

* * *

Chapter 18: Just Have To Believe In Yourself

When Heather's parents returned, her mother further assessed the burn. Hiccup stood nearby and waited for Heather's mother to notice him and scold him. His negligence and urgency to find out where the dragons were taking the food had caused injury to Heather. Yes, she had insisted on going with him, but, still, he could've stood his ground and insisted to go alone. He had been so desperate for companionship and that had gotten Heather hurt…and it was his fault. If that was not the reason, then surely she would scold him for attempting to soothe the burn with whatever concoction he had created for the bandage he had wrapped around Heather's arm. He was not a healer, so why had he even attempted to try healing methods? He'd probably just made the burn worse.

"Flame?"

Hiccup jumped at Heather's mother's soft voice. It was immediately evident that she had said his name…well, pseudo-name several times before Hiccup had responded to it. Both Heather and her mother were staring at him. _**Oh no…here it comes. They're going to scold me now for…something. Well, it was nice to have a loving home. Nice while it lasted. Good thing I didn't bring too much with me.**_

"Heather tells me that you learned some medicinal treatments."

"Ah…well, I really only just observed the healer in my former village," Hiccup stuttered slightly, nervous.

"You did well, then. The ointment that you mixed up has taken down some of the redness and irritation associated with burns, even minor ones like this one. Nice work, Flame," Heather's mother complimented as she expertly mixed up a new ointment and treated the burn with all the professionalism expected of a village healer.

Hiccup did not know how to respond. This may have been the first time he'd ever been complimented…for anything. Instead, he just watched Heather's mother work. He hoped that his silence was not misinterpreted by the women.

It took only a few moments for Heather's mother to finish with the treatment. "I'll monitor that burn for a few days and make sure that it is healing without infection," she told her daughter.

When she was finished, Heather's mother looked between her daughter and Hiccup. "You two should think about getting to sleep soon. It's getting late."

The two agreed and Heather's mother retreated to her own bedroom. Hiccup and Heather stayed up for just a little longer, not wanting to go right to sleep for fear of seeing that terrifying massive dragon again when they shut their eyes.

"Well, you were right," Heather softly told Hiccup. Seeing Hiccup's confused expression, she elaborated, "You said that you thought the dragons were being controlled. You were right. They are definitely working for that massive dragon."

Hiccup sighed. "This is one of the rare times where I wish that I wasn't right." Now it was Heather's turn to give Hiccup a confused expression. "Okay, well, what I mean is that I'm glad that I was right, but...it's not fair to those dragons. They're being forced to raid these villages and I just have this strange hunch that raiding villages is not something they would normally do if they did not have to feed their queen."

"Their queen? Are you equating these dragons to worker bees?"

"Exactly," Hiccup replied. "Think about it. The queen does absolutely nothing. She just sits there in the mountain, her hive, and sends all these smaller dragons out to do her dirty work and bring her back all their catch."

Heather nodded. "When you put it that way, it does make sense." After a short pause, Heather asked, "Flame, what's next? If your hunch is correct, this might be the answer that our tribe has been searching for; we could have just solved it for them!"

"We definitely have to tell them about what we saw," Hiccup answered. "Once they know, then we can form some plans about what to do next." Looking down to the ground, Hiccup took a deep breath before raising his gaze back to Heather. "Although…from what I've seen so far…would they even do anything about this?"

Taking Hiccup's hand, Heather reassured him, "While it is true that my tribe does not wish to fight, when threatened, you would be surprised at the number of villagers who would gladly lay down their lives for this tribe." Hiccup looked down, but Heather continued. "Sure, they may not agree that this is a threat. It's up to you then to show them that they need to take action against that dragon. Flame, I know that you can succeed. You could convince even the most steadfast members of my tribe. You just have to believe in yourself. Believe that you can do it. I already believe in you, but that's not enough. Unless you fully believe that you can succeed, you will fail. Can you do that, Flame? Can you believe in yourself?"

Hiccup continued to stare down at the ground. Heather's words, her advice, played in his mind. Could he believe in himself? He was so used to facing a tribe who had lost hope for him. Their lack of belief had rubbed off on him and now it was hard for him to trust in himself. "I'll try to, Heather," he replied quietly.

"We should sleep soon like my mother suggested. Tomorrow, we'll tell the others what we saw tonight."

_**We?**_ Hiccup noticed right away. _**Does that mean that she will be there with me, helping me to explain everything?**_ "Together?"

Heather smiled and gave Hiccup's hand a gentle squeeze. "Together."

Standing, Hiccup helped Heather to her feet. "Thanks. It means a lot to me to know that you'll be there with me, that you…support me."

Hiccup walked over to the couch and sat down. Heather watched as Hiccup fluffed up the pillow where he would rest his head. "Are you really okay with sleeping on that couch?" she asked him. "I mean, it's not very comfortable. I could never sleep on it."

"I should be asking you that question," Hiccup replied. "You'll be okay sleeping with that burn. I mean, I know it wasn't too serious, but…"

Heather smiled at Hiccup's concern. "I'll be fine. Good night, Flame."

She turned to walk toward her bedroom, but Hiccup stopped her before she could leave the room. When she'd turned back, Hiccup took a deep breath. "I…I think I trust you enough to tell you my real name." He could see that Heather looked intrigued, so Hiccup opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, though, Hiccup's thoughts stopped him. _**Wait…I can't tell her that my name is "Hiccup". First, she'd probably think of me the way that the rest of Berk thought of me. Then, she might recognize me as being from Berk. I need a better name. New life, new name. What should I choose?**_

Heather smiled. "I'm glad that you trust me now. What's your real name?"

"My real name…it's…my name is…"

* * *

**You guys didn't think I would actually give you the name, did you? Pass up a good cliffhanger? Never! So…I actually do have the name; it was given to me by the reviewer who gave me this story challenge. However, feel free to guess! What do you think Hiccup's "real" name should be?**

**I kinda slipped back into my Hunger Games obsession briefly while writing this chapter. It kinda shows. Can anyone find the spot that I'm talking about? (You'll get a shoutout in the next chapter if you get it right!).**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: December 31, 2015**


	19. Hiccup's New Name

**I want to thank everyone for their input on their opinions of Hiccup not giving Heather his full name. The reason I'm changing his name is because that was how it was posed to me in the original challenge. If the plan was my own, I may not have changed it, but I'm going to follow the plan I was given. Great ideas you all mentioned for names! We'll find out momentarily if any of you guessed correctly!**

**Also, I posed a small fun challenge at the end of the last chapter. To locate the Hunger Games reference. Two reviewers found it easily! Congrats to DualStarduster and Guest (anonymous)! The reference was the "Together?" "Together." lines. In reference to the PM I received from Braggy, I can see how you determined your guess, so you get a shout-out too! I never even thought about that, but those two scenes are kinda similar. Nice guess!**

**Review Replies:**

_**DualStarduster**_**: Well, I will say that Hiccup's decision here will come back to him later in the story. Congrats on finding the Hunger Games reference. It was pretty easy, though, I think.**

_**The Silver Night Fury**_**: Great name thoughts!**

_**Gordon519**_**: I think I've actually seen that name used before in another fanfiction. Maybe not, but it does look familiar.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Nice and simple! Haha. Well, the name will relate back to Toothless…in a way.**

**The Silent Fury: Uh…because I'm an evil person who loves to laugh at readers' reactions to cliffhangers? Haha. Nah…I just really like cliffhangers. I am writing it…but I still have that whole extended hiatus going on…for now…**

_**Spartan10007**_**: It's no problem. Trust me, I completely understand about life being busy. That's why I have extended hiatuses during the school year.**

_**Ken106348**_**: If the challenge didn't have this detail about Hiccup changing his name, I probably would've kept it the same since I'm so horrible at coming up with names. **

_**Dragonfan (anonymous)**_**: I'm glad you like the story. Good guess!**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: You got the reference! That's awesome…considering you've never actually seen the movie. Great guess! Also, I'm glad that I was able to write the characters well. It's been a long time since I've watched the TV series, so I'm kinda just writing from memory now. **

_**subterra59**_**: Interesting names. I've never heard those ones before.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: I can't decide between Hiccstrid and Heathercup. I think I like Hiccstrid just a little more. Well…back for now, but my life is very unpredictable right now, so I make no guarantees.**

* * *

Chapter 19: Hiccup's New Name

Heather smiled. "I'm glad that you trust me now. What's your real name?"

"My real name…it's…my name is…"

Hiccup faltered slightly. He hated the thought of lying to Heather, especially after she'd been so kind to him. She'd taken him in, helped him to begin to find a place within her village. Still, his old name symbolized everything that he had once been. Even the name itself—Hiccup—sounded weak. His days as a Berkian were over; they'd ended on that afternoon when his father had disowned him in the empty Great Hall. Besides, it wouldn't be a lie. He was done with Berk and there was no way that part of his life could possibly interfere with this new one that he was creating. Not all the way out here.

"It's Nörrik," Hiccup finished, officially forsaking his given name forever.

Heather smiled. "See, that wasn't so hard, right? I like your name, Nörrik. It's like…night."

"Yeah…I was born during the night." Not technically a lie. Stoick the Vast had never been overly descriptive about when his son had come into the world. The only thing Hiccup had ever known for certain was that his birthday, just like his entire being was odd, falling on the one day that only existed every four years. "Then, fifteen years later, I met Toothless, the last of the Night Furies. It just seemed…right, you know."

With the same smile, Heather replied, "Of course. Well, we should sleep now. Tomorrow we have to tell my village about everything that we saw tonight. We'll need to be well-rested."

"Of course." The now-renamed ex-Berkian took a seat on his makeshift bed and fluffed the pillow, adjusting it for comfort. "Good night, Heather. Thanks for standing by me…especially tomorrow. I can definitely tell you how nervous I am at even the thought of trying to convince your tribe members by myself."

"You're welcome, Nörrik," Heather replied with that smile of hers. "We're friends and that's what friends do. They help each other. Sleep well."

Heather left to walk to her bedroom and Hicc—Nörrik was left to himself. A small candle beside Nörrik's makeshift bed provided the room with a little light, shadows dancing across the walls. As he made to blow out the candle, Hiccup let his new given name roll off his tongue, acquainting himself with the sound. He could get used to it.

As Nörrik fell asleep that night, he pictured Heather's forest-green eyes staring back at him with such trust. Despite only knowing him for a short time, she easily called him "friend". How did he feel about her, though? Sure, he felt that he could also consider her to be a friend, but was that all he wanted? Was he content with just being friends with Heather?

For a moment, Nörrik became Hiccup once again and thought back to Berk…and Astrid. She was the reason why he was now here in Sharkbane Village…with Heather. Back on Berk, as Hiccup, he'd definitely had a pretty serious crush on Astrid. Astrid had been everything that Hiccup had ever wished to be: smart, popular, talented. Still, as Hiccup had gotten to know Astrid, he figured out that she…wasn't as great as he had once fantasized. Everything had been fine until he had bested Astrid in dragon training. At the mere prospect of coming in second to "the village screw-up", Astrid had become fiercely competitive and jealous. To the point, even, where she threatened Hiccup. Yes, Astrid definitely wasn't the perfect Viking that Hiccup had once thought her to be.

Heather on the other hand was so much different than Astrid. She was patient and open, willing to accept the exiled Hiccup and promising to give him all the space and time he needed to develop a bond of trust. Even now she was committed to helping him and she'd never resort to jealously; she wanted to work with him not against him.

If he had to choose between Astrid and Heather, even now after only knowing the latter for a couple days, Hiccup would choose…Heather, and if Hiccup chose Heather, then Nörrik would also choose her. Astrid was his past. Heather was his present…and his future.

Heather's face, smiling back at him, was the last thing Nörrik saw before the blackness of sleep overtook him.

888

It was already daylight by the time Nörrik awoke on his slightly-uncomfortable makeshift bed. From the cooking area of the small home, Nörrik could smell the faint scents of breakfast cooking. Pulling himself up to a sitting position, Nörrik stretched his tight muscles. _**Someday I really need to figure out a way to make this "bed" more comfortable.**_

A soft sound caught Nörrik's attention and when he turned back, he saw Heather quietly walking toward him. She noticed that he was already awake and gave a small smile. "Oh, you're awake. Great. We're making some breakfast and it will be ready soon."

Nörrik smiled back in return. "Breakfast sounds great. I'll be out to the dining area in a moment."

Heather returned to the cooking area and Nörrik watched her leave. He was about to make his way to the dining area when he remembered today's task. Today he would tell the villagers and chief about what he had discovered last night. If that was his only task, Nörrik knew that he would be fine. It was the second part of the task that he was not looking forward to: convincing them that they should fight against this queen dragon, this Red Death. Even with Heather's help, could Nörrik succeed?

888

Heather sat a wooden plate of food in front of Nörrik. Looking down, Nörrik observed that the food looked perfect and smelled amazing. He was hungry, but still only found himself picking at the food as he continued to dwell on thoughts about what was to come this afternoon.

Noticing, Heather gripped his hand under the table and whispered to him, "Don't fret so much, Nörrik. I told you that I will be there with you. Everything will turn out just fine. I promise."

Nörrik simply nodded and returned to eating his breakfast. The nervousness seemed to strip the taste right from the food, disappointing Nörrik because the plate of food smelled delicious.

At one point later on in the meal, Nörrik noticed Heather glancing his way. In her eyes, Nörrik could see her silent question. Slowly, he nodded, telling her that it was okay.

Attracting her parents' attention, Heather introduced Nörrik to them. "Flame told me last night that his name is Nörrik."

Heather's parents both nodded, commenting that they both liked his "good strong name". _**Oh if they only knew…**_

After breakfast, Heather helped her mother to clean up the table as Nörrik tried to mentally prepare himself for this conversation. He did not want to lean too much on Heather, but Nörrik knew that, back on Berk, he'd never been very good at this. Speeches and planning. That was his father's job…and Stoick had excelled at both.

When Heather was finished, she found him in the sitting room. "I'll go find Chief Valdemar and he'll help to gather the villagers. We'll meet you in the town center. Okay?"

With a nod of agreement, Nörrik walked slowly to the town center. Last time he had stood here, the villagers had welcomed him into their tribe. He'd been just as nervous then. _**Why am I so nervous anyway? Heather's right. I have to believe in myself. Still…this all sounds crazy. They'll never believe me. No…no, think positive.**_ Taking a deep breath, Nörrik tried to reassure himself. _**I am positive they won't believe me.**_

Villagers began to gather in the town square. Just like last time. Chief Valdemar, Frida, and Heather arrived a little later. All three came to stand by Nörrik, Heather standing closest to him just as she'd promised. She must have again noticed his nervousness because she gripped his hand. With a tight squeeze, she asked him, "Ready?"

Looking down to the ground, Nörrik truthfully answered in a whisper, "No. But someone has to tell them or else that…that Red Death will continue to wreak havoc on all these surrounding lands." With a deep breath, Nörrik stepped forward to address the gathered villagers.

* * *

**I don't think I have much to say to close off this chapter. I do have another little challenge for this chapter, though. This time, the hidden reference is from Inside Out. Can anyone find it? (I'm not guaranteeing one of these challenges in every chapter, but it is kinda fun sometimes, no?)**

**Next chapter we'll find out the villagers' reaction to Hicc…I mean, Nörrik's words. How do you think they're going to react?**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: January 17, 2016**


	20. Convincing The Villagers

**Well, I guess it's time to see what comes out Hiccup's…sorry, Norrik's talk with the villagers. Do you think he'll be able to convince them to take action against the Red Death?**

**Also, nothing gets past you guys! You found the hidden Inside Out reference. Nice work to **_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_** and **_**Cottonmouth25**_** for pointing out the correct lines in the previous chapter.**

**Review Replies:**

_**MMM (anonymous)**_**: All great questions! I believe they will all be answered over the course of this story. Some of them will even be answered in this chapter.**

_**Brenne**_**: Thanks! It was actually a suggestion from the person who came up with the challenge that this story is based upon. I think the name itself is made-up, but is derived from Nörr, the father of the Nótt, the goddess of night in Norse mythology. That's why Heather makes the comment in the prior chapter about night. **

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Actually, it is from your list…since you gave me the challenge in the first place. That's the Inside Out reference all right. **

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: That's the reference. Well, feelings are starting to develop, yes, but this is Hiccup (even with a new name, he's still Hiccup) and that means it'll take forever for him to actually admit that he likes Heather that way.**

_**The Silent Fury**_**: Yeah, but he's kinda caught between hesitant to reveal that name and eager to ditch that part of him and leave it all in the past.**

_**The-real-dragon-rider**_**: Thanks! This is actually the first time I've written a Heathercup story. I did start another one ("There For You") but that one has yet to really get off to an adequate start. As for your complaint, as you call it, I will try to include Toothless more. I tend to forget about him a lot, actually.**

* * *

Chapter 20: Convincing The Villagers

Villagers began to gather in the town square. Just like last time. Chief Valdemar, Frida, and Heather arrived a little later. All three came to stand by Nörrik, Heather standing closest to him just as she'd promised. She must have again noticed his nervousness because she gripped his hand. With a tight squeeze, she asked him, "Ready?"

Looking down to the ground, Nörrik truthfully answered in a whisper, "No. But someone has to tell them or else that…that Red Death will continue to wreak havoc on all these surrounding lands." With a deep breath, Nörrik stepped forward to address the gathered villagers.

"Good morning and thank you all for coming out to hear what I have to say. I actually have a couple things to discuss today." Nörrik paused to glance out over the crowd. For now, it appeared that he had their interest. "First, I originally introduced myself as 'Flame'. That's…not actually my name…but you've probably guessed that already." Under the gazes of the villagers, Nörrik felt himself slipping back into "Hiccup" with the slight stutter to his voice. Clearing his throat, Nörrik continued, "I am called Nörrik. You may address me that way."

Seeing that he still had the villagers' attention, Nörrik began to discuss what he had learned last night. "Before I came here to your village, I started to learn about dragons, study them. That's actually the reason why I left my former village. They…believed very differently than I did about dragons."

Nörrik knew that he was rambling a little. Was he losing the crowd's interest? Were they still listening? Glancing to Heather beside him, he watched her catch his eye, smile, and give a small nod. _**Keep going,**_ she was silently telling him.

"Well, last night, during the raid, I wondered something. You see, I've known Toothless for a short while now and, whenever he's with me, he doesn't show the behaviors that I was seeing from the dragons during the raid. Those dragons were aggressive and determined to take your livestock…regardless of how you felt about them doing so. That got me thinking that something was up, that maybe something was happening to cause the dragons to act this way."

He took a deep breath. "Last night, I confirmed my suspicions. Toothless, with me and Heather aboard, showed us to the home of the dragons, an island ruled by this…massive deadly dragon. This dragon, which I have named 'The Red Death' is a tyrant. Heather and I saw evidence of its forced control on the dragons. She demands they raid to feed her and if they don't bring back enough food, she eats them instead. All the dragons are deathly afraid of her…as is expected."

Nörrik thought back to Berk. _**If they knew that Heather and I had found the dragon's nest…**_ "Back home…well, the place that I used to call home, I know that the villagers there would have heard this news and recklessly charged in, sending boats there to destroy this dragon without truly knowing the threat that they'd be rushing into."

As Nörrik looked out over the crowd, he saw just how they contrasted with the villagers of Berk. He did not see in their eyes an urgency to rush right out and fight for the freedom of the dragons. _**It's just as I thought. I'll have to convince them. Odin, please give me strength!**_ "I know that your tribe does not usually like to fight. I saw it during that last raid. However, I truly believe that if we can come together and take down the Red Death, free the dragons from her reign of terror, then we can make peace with them. We can create a society where we can coincide with the dragons. I know it sounds scary, but just look at the peace that exists between me and Toothless. You can have that peace as well. Imagine…a life where you live alongside the dragons. Trust me when I say that it's as amazing as it sounds."

Nörrik knew that he definitely had their attention now. He could see the younger kids' excitement at the idea of living peacefully with dragons; they all loved Toothless. _**Now, I just have to remind them of "the catch".**_ "However, before we can make that idea a reality, we have to defeat the Red Death. I understand that it won't be easy. If you could have seen this dragon, you'll know too that…well, it's a pretty formidable foe. I think, though, that if we all combine our efforts, then we can win. We can defeat the Red Death and free the dragons from her tyranny. So…who's with me?"

Breathing deeply, Nörrik waited as the gathered villagers thought over his proposition. He was surprised by the passion and ease with which his words had flowed. He just hoped that was enough to convince everyone that they should join him in this fight against the Red Death. What if it wasn't, though? Nörrik definitely could not take on that massive dragon all by himself. If the villagers opted not to stand with him in this fight…then there might not actually be a fight. The dragons would be enslaved forever.

Just when Nörrik was about to accept defeat, step back and hang his head, one of the men stepped forward. "I'm with you, Nörrik."

As Nörrik watched, others, men and women, stepped forward, declaring their offer to help. The young man smiled, calmed by the knowledge that the villagers of the Peaceable Tribe were willing to stand beside him.

Chief Valdemar stepped forward from behind Nörrik and Heather. "Well, since you have our support, let's determine a plan to successfully fight and defeat this 'Red Death'."

* * *

**Darn…50 words short of my minimum limit…but it's such a good breaking point, so I guess I'll have to take it…this time. P.S. No hidden references this time…at least, none that I know of. **

**So…how do you think Nörrik and the villagers are going to defeat the Red Death? What methods will they use? Are they even actually going to defeat the Red Death? Let me know what you think!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: January 21, 2016  
Less than a week until my 25****th**** birthday!**


	21. Nörrik vs The Red Death (Part 1)

**I think this is the chapter that many have been waiting for: the fight against the Red Death. I'm horrible at writing fighting scenes, so hopefully I don't screw this up. I literally sat awake and planned this out a few nights ago. Not that it mattered too much. Snowpacolype was in full swing at that point in time!**

**Review Replies:**

_**KarenaKitty**_**: Thanks! I'm thinking Heather's dragon could play a role in this story. So, my answer will be that…most likely, WindShear will make an appearance. **

_**MMM (anonymous)**_**: They will help him. We'll find out if it is successful. Well, this story is labeled Hiccup x Heather, so it's probably a good guess that they'll get together. Thanks for the birthday wishes…because it looks like this story will not be updated before Wednesday. **

_**The Silent Fury**_**: Thanks for the early birthday wishes! Interesting breakdown! Let's see if you guessed right. Haha.**

_**Ken106348**_**: Well, guess it's a good thing that I already acknowledge that I can't possibly please everyone then. Haha.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: That only works if I get pie too, I mean…hey, my birthday is this week and pie would go great with cake!**

_**random123games**_**: Thanks (for both the compliment and the birthday wishes)!**

_**Robert (anonymous)**_**: Now? … Well, I can usually update this and YOPS once or twice a week. Just depends on what's going on in my life at the time. I've actually stopped making guessing about update dates because I was never right anyway. Haha.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: I actually just looked back and it appears that it was a year and a half ago. (I'm a perfectionist.) Thanks! Hopefully, this chapter will have a bit more action than the last chapter.**

**_ladipretender_: Thanks! I'm glad that you like those moments. When I write them, I just feel like, even if he has shed his former name and its meaning, "Hiccup" would still show through because, if you're subjected to what he had been for fifteen long years…well, I'm sure you get the point. Haha. Thanks! As I get around to answering these reviews, it's actually still a day early, but it'll be after by the time I post this chapter.**

**_Indigostartherandomkitty_: I'm glad. Haha.**

* * *

Chapter 21: Nörrik vs. The Red Death (Part 1)

Nörrik, Toothless, and Heather stood together at the head of the lead ship. Behind them, several other ships carried the rest of the tribe members who had volunteered to help. As the ships sailed away from Sharkbane Village on a course to the place Nörrik had nicknamed "Dragon Island", Nörrik replayed the plan in his head.

_First we'll travel by ship. If what you say is correct, Nörrik, your dragon will lead us right to the location. For that reason, you and Toothless will join me aboard the lead ship._

Nörrik glanced over to Chief Valdemar. The aged man showed no sign of fear or anxiety. He is definitely braver than me…or he is just better at masking his fear. Heather had demanded to be aboard the lead ship as well so she could continue to support and encourage Nörrik just as she had promised.

Fog grew denser as the ship sailed closer toward the island. Toothless perked up, his ears twitching and picking up sounds that could only be heard by dragons. Quietly, Nörrik alerted Chief Valdemar who whispered steering instructions to his boatman. Navigating through the rocky waters around the island was no easy task and everyone aboard was grateful that Toothless was guiding them through the dangerous waters. Nörrik just hoped that the other ships behind them could see enough to ease their way in closer to Dragon Island.

Hearing a creaking sound from above, Nörrik glanced up and was met with a familiar sight. It was a ship, stuck among the rocky formations. The ship was proudly bearing a flag with a crest that Nörrik knew all too well. _**Berk**_, he recalled easily. _**One of our…their old ships that got lost in the fog and drifted astray.**_

The bottom of the lead ship scrapped along the rocky shore of Dragon Island. Some of the larger members aboard the ship jumped out and pulled the ship upon the shore, securing it in place so it would not drift out to sea. As the other ships approached, they followed the lead ship in securing their own ships upon the shore.

_Once we get to the island, we'll regroup. Using our weaponry and your firepower, we'll draw the dragons out. All of them. That way we'll avoid dragon casualties in the battle that will most definitely ensue. By evacuating the dragons, we'll most definitely draw out this Red Death._

Stepping up to Chief Valdemar, Nörrik awaited instruction. The larger tribe members, now sure that the ships would stay put upon the island, worked together to set up the catapults.

"We'll use the catapults to pound the exterior. Then, when we've opened an exit, have Toothless send a blast into the cave. Something tells me that the other dragons would be inclined to listen to your dragon," the chief instructed Nörrik.

Nörrik nodded. "As you wish."

When the catapults were set, the larger tribe members loaded them with sizeable boulders and flung the hefty stones at the exterior face of the mountain. It took several tries to finally crumble the mountain and reveal a long tunnel.

"Now, Bud," Nörrik gave the command to his dragon.

Toothless fired a blast of purple flame that traveled down the entire length of the tunnel. As the blast illuminated the tunnel, Nörrik caught a glimpse of the numerous dragons that lined the rooftop. The dragons did not move and Toothless let out a loud roar, catching the dragons' attentions. With a flick of his head, Toothless communicated to the dragons that they needed to leave now. Nörrik could just imagine, if Toothless could speak, the dragon yelling out to the others of his kind, telling them to fly away now while they still could.

A loud roar sounded from deep in the mountain and the echo shook the ground. Nörrik did not have to guess to know exactly what had made that sound. All the dragons in the cave took to the skies, fleeing for their lives. Their queen was angered and they did not want to be caught in the crossfire.

Nörrik could sense it before it actually happened. "Fall back!" he called out to the other tribe members. "Do not go back to the ships, but stay clear of the mountain. It's…It's coming down."

The tribe members obliged and not a moment too soon as the massive Red Death broke out from its mountain home, bringing the entire rock formation down. Large rocky chunks descended down upon the location where the majority of the men had previously been standing. The falling rock showed no mercy upon the catapults, instantly destroying the weapons.

Sunlight blinded the Red Death. Who knows how long it'd been since it had last seen the sunlight. Now, while its eyes were adjusting, was the time to put the next step of the plan into action.

_Once the Red Death is out in the open, we will distract it from the ground with some close-range attacks. Nothing major. Just enough to keep its attention elsewhere. With its attention focused on dealing with us, Nörrik, you and Toothless can take to the skies. _

The other tribe members rushed forward, attacking the Red Death's four massive legs. Nörrik could immediately see that it was a lost cause. He had to act now before the Red Death stomped all the tribe members to their deaths.

Racing over to Toothless, Nörrik jumped into the saddle and secured himself. Before Toothless could take to the skies, Heather rushed over, begging to join him in the air. "I promised to be there with you to support you. Let me fly up there with you, Nörrik."

Conflicted, Nörrik definitely wanted to say "yes" and shift to make room for Heather in the saddle. Still, he knew that this was something that he and Toothless had to do together, just the two of them like old times. If Heather was up there with them, there's no way that he'd ever be able to provide the situation with the concentration that it needed. "Heather, I need you to stay down here this time, okay?" He watched Heather's eyes widen at his sudden burst of confidence. "Please, understand, I want to protect you and I can't do that and fight this dragon at the same time. Knowing that you are down here and not up there with me is the best way to support me. I promise that Toothless and I will be just fine. We'll make it through this. I promise."

He could see that Heather wanted to object, but she kept silent. Slowly, she smiled, a deep genuine smile, at Nörrik's bravery. "I believe you. You are stronger than you appear and braver than you know. Good luck up there."

She made to step back, but Nörrik stopped her. "Wait, Heather." He motioned her closer. Leaning down before he lost the confidence that he'd mustered, Nörrik brought his lips down to meet Heather's in a short soft kiss. When he broke the kiss, Nörrik whispered, "I'll be back soon. I promise."

Practically rolling his eyes, Toothless grunted, reminding his rider that they needed to get into the air soon if they wanted the plan to (hopefully!) work. Nörrik, obliging, motioned to the Night Fury that he was ready and the pair took to the skies.

Once up in the air, Nörrik directed Toothless to fly closer but that idea quickly backfired when they noticed three pairs of beady eyes situated on the head of the massive dragon. "Huh…six eyes, probably no blind spot. Toothless, fall back. We need to have some sort of strategy before we attempt any form of counterattack against this dragon."

_Something tells me that once you and Toothless take to the skies, you'll be able to come up with plan to take out the Red Death. You seem to be quite resourceful and a quick thinker. Do you think you can do that, Nörrik. _

_I hope so, Chief Valdemar. I really hope so._

* * *

**So, in case you didn't figure it out, I decided not to spend a whole chapter showcasing the planning and strategizing. Instead, I used these italicized words where…if you think of it like a movie, it'd be like those little flashback scenes that are briefly and intercut into present day scenes. Not quite a full-fledged flashback, but referencing an earlier sequence of shots. Does that make sense?**

**Next chapter is the battle! How will Nörrik fare? Will he even survive? Why do I keep posting these stupid questions? The answers you seek will be in the next chapter! Well…maybe not the answer to that last question. There are just some things we may never know. Haha.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: February 4, 2016**


	22. Nörrik vs The Red Death (Part 2)

**The chapter that everyone's been waiting for! Well, it should be an exciting one, so I won't take up too much space with this opening AN!**

**Review Replies:**

_**KupcakeKrazed101**_**: Glad you enjoyed the last chapter!**

_**Zerephel**_**: I'm glad that you're enjoying it. Yeah, that type of romance scene is used a lot, but…I just had to do it. It was pretty great, huh? I think it is safe to say that it will definitely be at least a little different because there is no Berk. Other than that, well…we'll know soon enough, right? Haha.**

_**Kristy (anonymous)**_**: I guess you won't be seeing this reply, but…I'm pretty sure I said from the beginning that this story featured a Hiccup x Heather pairing. Fellow readers, I did say this, right? If I didn't, then I apologize for not making it clearer.**

_**deeed22**_**: I'm glad that you love the story and the last chapter!**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Yeah, they did. About time, huh? Thanks for the birthday wishes!**

_**ladipretender**_**: Haha! Yes, you should go back and reread them because I'm pretty sure that I definitely gave some hints. Not many, but they're in there. Thanks for the feedback about the flashbacks! That's exactly why I tried that method because a whole chapter of planning would be so boring! Also, I just finished reading The 5****th**** Wave and they do that in some of the chapters near the end of the story, so I decided to give it a try. Well, I can definitely say that we'll see some character development for Nörrik beginning as early as…last chapter, actually. I'm glad that you like my portrayal of Heather. I didn't know if I could adequately write her, but I guess it's been working out so far. **

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Yes, he should've known better, but he figured that was the only way Heather would ever let him go up there alone (well, alone with Toothless). Yeah, that's the reaction I seem to be getting a lot about adding that little snippet of Heathercup in there last chapter.**

**_Guest (anonymous)_: I'm glad that you enjoy reading this story. I guess this chapter was just about finished when you posted your review. Finished it up just today!**

* * *

Chapter 22: Nörrik vs. The Red Death (Part 2)

Nörrik and Toothless hovered behind the Red Death and, hopefully, out of its sights as Nörrik tried to develop a plan. "It's even larger than I could've guessed when we saw it in the mountain," Nörrik whispered to his dragon. "This is definitely not going to be easy." Looking out over the massive form of the Red Death, Nörrik tried to analyze it. He thought back briefly to dragon training on Berk when Fishlegs would try to break down statistics for all the dragons they'd "fought" and the other teenagers had groaned and yelled for him to stop. Nörrik himself…well, he was still Hiccup then, had done the very same when they'd been paired to take on the Hideous Zippleback together. Now, though, Nörrik knew that he'd be extremely grateful if Fishlegs was there to give him some statistics on this dragon. "Let's see…if I was Fishlegs, what would I say about this dragon?" he whispered to Toothless. "Heavily armored with thick skin. No scales. We won't be blasting it to death from the outside. Six eyes. No blind spot from the side. Only the back where we are now. One thing I can't tell, though, is…does it have wings? Probably not. How would it even be able to support its weight if it tried to fly?"

Hovering in the air as the massive dragon danced around in its attempts to crush the much smaller humans of the Peaceable tribe, Nörrik tried to form a plan based on what he'd determined from observing the Red Death. As he racked his brain for some possible idea, Nörrik found himself thinking back to a memory that felt like it belonged in a different lifetime.

_Hiccup watched the small flock of Terrible Terrors fight over Toothless's pile of fish. He could see that the Night Fury was growing increasingly annoyed with the behavior of the pesky little dragons as Toothless moved to protect his pile of fish. Though he knew that he should help Toothless out by shooing the tiny dragons away, Hiccup was amused by the behavior and watched as Toothless growled a warning at one Terrible Terror only to have another one drag away the fish head that he had just regurgitated as an offering to Hiccup. The Terror began chewing on it as if it had won a major prize. _

_When the other Terrors noticed, another snuck up to steal away the fish head but the first Terror was quick to send out a warning burst of fire. Toothless's attention trained on the quarrel for the fish head, he did not immediately notice yet another Terror enter the pile of fish until it managed to retrieve one and begin to drag if off from the pile. Not having any of it, Toothless grabbed hold of the other end of the fish. This tug-of-war game was one the Night Fury easily won and he swallowed down the fish, laughing at the miniscule piece the Terror managed to grab as it was thrown backwards away from the struggle. Angered, the Terror readied itself to shoot a small burst of fire (that probably would have been extremely ineffective anyway) but Toothless was much faster, firing a quick blast into the Terror as the smaller dragon opened its mouth. _

_All the while, Hiccup just stared at the progressing dragon feud. Clearly dragons could be extremely protective over what belonged to them. As Hiccup continued to watch, the Terror, dazed by the blast, stumbled around in an attempt to recover. "Huh? Not so fireproof on the inside, are you?" Out of pity, Hiccup tossed an uncooked fish to the Terrible Terror who seemed to recover instantly, gobbling up the fish immediately. _

_When it finished, the Terror slowly crept up to Hiccup's side and curled itself under Hiccup's hand. Contently, trusting, the Terror slept as Hiccup ran his hands along the dragon's green scales. "Everything we know about you guys…is wrong."_

"That's…it," Nörrik whispered. "Toothless, I have an idea! Fire a blast at the dragon. If that doesn't work the first time, keep firing. We need to first get its attention…and then we have to make it mad."

Aiming, Toothless shot his strongest blast at the Red Death. The shot ricocheted off the hard exterior of the massive dragon. Had the Red Death even felt the shot? "Fire again, Toothless! Keep hitting that same spot! Eventually, we'll get her attention!"

Toothless fired off multiple shots, each pounding upon the same spot. Finally, the Red Death turned to round upon them. Nörrik was reminded of the buzzing flying little insects that seemed to surround yaks during the warmer months back on Berk. They always seemed to be there, but the yaks always waited to swish them away with their tails, as if they were just finally getting annoyed enough to make the effort. Now, Nörrik felt like he was one of those insects, waging an war of annoyance with an oversized "yak".

"Toothless, remember those Terrors? The ones that tried to steal your fish after our first real flight together?" Nörrik asked his dragon, in an attempt to clue the Night Fury into the plan without letting the Red Death know about what he had planned; he had no idea how much speech the Red Death could actually understand. "Remember what you did to that one Terror, the one that I took pity on and gave the fish to, the one that snuggled up and slept beside one, that one Terror that helped me to finally truly understand we were about dragons. Do you remember, Toothless?"

Faintly, so much so that Nörrik almost missed it, he saw Toothless nod his head in understanding. Toothless knew what he was referencing. "Good! That's what we're going to do, Toothless."

Roaring in annoyance, the Red Death spread her wings. When he'd first noticed the wings, Nörrik had been unsure if the appendages were actually functional. Now, however, there was no doubt. Generating a strong gust, one capable of knocking even the burliest man of the Peaceable Tribe to his feet far down below, the Red Death took to the skies.

The Red Death's size may have slowed its speed down slightly but it did little else to hinder its movement through the skies. Nörrik and Toothless tried zipping through rock formations but quickly learned that the stone did not slow down the massive dragon as they had hoped. Instead of diverting around to take another flight path, the Red Death plowed right through the rocks, blasting them to bits, not even phased by the barriers.

"Well, she can fly," Nörrik told Toothless as if the dragon needed any indication. _**That's going to complicate things a bit.**_

* * *

**Yeah…I did not intend to make a "Part 3" to this sequence, but I guess that's going to happen. Oh well… So, what do you guys think? Is Hicc…Nörrik (I know…I'm still getting used to it too! Haha.) going to lose his leg? Will his plan work out as effectively as it did in the movie? (Because it is—essentially—the same idea) Will your wonderful author ever stop asking these pointless questions? I love hearing your thoughts!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: February 15, 2016  
**


	23. Nörrik vs The Red Death (Part 3)

**Okay, I promise that this is the final chapter of the battle sequence. Also, to those who answered the questions in the closing AN of the previous chapter: Thanks! I'm glad you all like when I add questions. Maybe I will keep doing that. Haha. **

**Review Replies:**

_**warorpeace**_**: I know, right? I've been calling it that since…forever because I don't celebrate it. I'm really surprised that so many readers like the questions that I ask at the end of chapters.**

_**MMM (anonymous)**_**: That was one of the questions I asked at the end of the last chapter. I think the answer is… *static***

_**deeed22**_**: Thanks! **

_**ladipretender**_**: Haha. I actually really liked the Yak reference too. I was thinking about how to compare Hiccup and Toothless to the Red Death and I just got this mental image of horses and the flies that buzz around them…and the reference was born. Well, I'll tell you that I'm not completely sure where I'm going with this either. I have a plan outlined out, but it's never definite. You've had dreams about my story? I'm honored. Haha. **

_**KupcakeKrazed101**_**: I know. I was going to write sooner, but I just got my laptop back from the shop and I've been hesitating to turn it back on again. Finally got over that, though. I've just really missed my laptop. Haha! You sound like me with all the questions. **

_**random123games**_**: Well, I don't plan to abandon it.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: I know, right? I couldn't get on Facebook without seeing all the "look at these flowers…and chocolates…and…" posts. I didn't include it because I keep my chapters (story content only) between 1,000-2,000 words and I figured that I could keep it at the limit best by splitting it into two chapters (and I was deciding on a few points…as evidenced by the questions I posted in the closing AN). I'll try to make the chapters closer to 2,000, but I make no promises (as always). **

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Well, thank you! That's definitely what I celebrated this year. I thought I *might* have had someone to celebrate the "holiday" with, but…it never happened. In that scene, I figured that, since he didn't have Fishlegs to do it, Hiccup "Nörrik" would just have to find a way to do it himself. We'll definitely see more of that pairing once this battle is complete.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: That's how I always feel about stories too. I just never have time to sit down and read through long (I'm talking between 5,000-10,000 word chapters here) chapters. I value your opinion! Everyone's opinions, really. I love hearing thoughts from my readers!**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: I'd say that your feeling is quite correct. The battle will finish up this chapter and then…well, we'll see… Haha.**

_**Is this a spoon of surrender**_**: Good question! I don't actually know yet how long it's going to be because I only have an outline planned out for part of the story. I haven't really even envisioned a specific ending scene yet. I guess when it gets time to finish the story then it will come to me. If I had to guess, I'd say that I have about half of this story planned out at the current time. That would just be his luck! Although, I think it's safe to say that, no matter what, it isn't going to be easy for him! Here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 23: Nörrik vs The Red Death (Part 3)

Nörrik had not expected the Red Death to follow him and Toothless into the skies. _**How can her small wings even support that much weight?**_ Nörrik had a basic idea of how he planned to take out this massive Red Death. Sure, he had not planned on the opposing dragon's ability to fly, but he figured that he could still manage to make his plan work. Taking a glance above him at the cloudy sky, Nörrik knew that he and Toothless would need the dark cloud cover if they hoped to battle against the Red Death and walk away (mostly) unscathed. "Okay, Toothless, time to disappear." With the prosthetic tailfin set, Toothless climbed higher until the clouds surrounded him and his rider. As expected, the Red Death followed, also disappearing into the clouds.

Speeding around their overly-large target, Nörrik and Toothless sent verbal taunts and purple-hot blasts at the Red Death. The Red Death searched for her attackers but was unable to get a clear shot as they zoomed through the dark clouds. Finally, fed up, she sent a torrent of flames in all directions—clearly under the assumptions that if she just shot everywhere, then eventually she would hit them. Unfortunately, she had not planned on engaging with two opponents, one human and one dragon, of such high intellect; Nörrik and Toothless both knew to keep their distance and rely on long-range attacks.

"Wings, Toothless," Nörrik whispered when he and his friend had successfully angered their opponent, "Concentrate your shots at the wings just as we planned."

Circling around his target, Toothless fired off multiple shots, connecting with the Red Death's exposed wings. Briefly, Nörrik wondered about those standing so far below down on the ground. _**What a show it must look like to them! The thunderous light show that Toothless is putting on along with the desperate and angered roars of the Red Death! **_

_**The only way to truly take her down,**_ Nörrik figured_**, would be to do as Toothless did to that Terror did back on that island. Still, we need to make sure that she can't recover from the shot.**_ An idea came to Nörrik, but it would be risky for him, Toothless, and all still on the ground. Still, it was the only idea that he could think of that would eradicate the Red Death for good.

"Okay, Toothless, time to move in closer. We have to get her to follow us. Watch out for her fire!" Nörrik told his friend.

Toothless zoomed in, catching the Red Death's attention. Eager to end the threat to her reign of terror, the Red Death followed, just as Nörrik had planned_**. It's crazy that she can still fly with those shredded wings. Toothless did an excellent job firing holes into her wings.**_ The ground approached at lightning speed, but the Night Fury and his rider did not pull up; this was all part of the plan. Closing his eyes, Nörrik listened back to the Red Death, waiting for just the right moment. When he heard the Red Death start to gather the gases in her mouth, Nörrik yelled out, "Now!"

Flipping over to face the Red Death, Toothless fired a quick shot of purple-hot flame into the massive dragon's open mouth. Toothless's flame ignited the gas and Nörrik watched as it began to burn deep in the Red Death's throat. The ground approached quickly and it was only at the last moment that Nörrik and Toothless banked upward once again, avoiding a dangerous collision with the rocky ground. The Red Death, due to her massive size and shredded wings that tore completely when she tried to spread them, could not replicate this action and slammed headfirst into the ground. Upon impact, the Red Death exploded in a massive fireball of flames with enough wind power to briefly knock Nörrik and Toothless off-balance. The flames rose higher and higher, devouring everything in the vicinity of the Red Death's crash site.

"We need to get out of here, Toothless!"

Clicking the prosthetic tailfin into position, Nörrik and Toothless flew at record speed away from the crash site. Even at their fastest, however, they could not out-fly the ever-growing flames. Nörrik clicked the tailfin into position…but he did not feel the familiar draft that came about from changing positions. He tried another time and, again, heard the sound of the metal clicking in response to his left foot situated in the pedal of the saddle. _**Still, though, no change in direction. Strange. What is going on?**_

Chancing a glance back to the tailfin, Nörrik was met with a disturbing sight. Toothless's prosthetic tailfin was almost completely burnt, disintegrated instantly from the flames generated by the Red Death fireball. _**The flames must've caught the tailfin as we were flying away. Not good…not good…not good.**_

Nörrik had always prided himself for his skills at developing plans on the fly, but that was near impossible this time. There was nothing he could do unless he maneuvered the tailfin himself, but it was too dangerous here to try that. At the speed they were going, Nörrik's options were already severely limited. _**Will we make it out of the range of these flames before Toothless has to land? **_That was the major question at the moment.

Toothless, fully concentrating on flying and leading himself and his rider away from the life-threatening flames, did not notice that the tailfin did not change positions when his rider had clicked the pedal. He made to bank right and veer away from the fireball site. Unfortunately, the charred fabric and mangled metal tailfin did not respond. Instead, Nörrik felt his friend begin to lose altitude. He had known that his luck would run out sooner or later (and figured it would be sooner because, in a way, he was still Hiccup).

Nörrik's body slipped from Toothless's saddle. _**Oh no! The safety clip must've slipped off during the Red Death explosion!**_ Desperately, he clawed out, reaching for something to grasp onto, reaching out for Toothless. "Toothless!" he called out, successfully catching the attention of his dragon.

For just a brief moment, he was suspended high above the world on fire. Just a small young dragon rider defying the force that kept him firmly placed upon the ground. Then the moment ended…and he was falling. Falling as the world went black around him.

* * *

**Gods…this chapter fought its way to creation. I'm pretty sure that I wrote it fifty words at a time over many sittings (hence, why it's been so long since I've updated). I knew, basically, what I wanted to happen in this chapter. It was just the logistics of everything that was so tough. I really love the last paragraph, though. I'm just a bit proud of how that turned out!**

**It's been awhile since I've added a challenge to a chapter, so…I've got one! There is at least (but, most likely only one!) pun written into this chapter. Can anyone find it?**

**Thanks for your patience! Hopefully the chapter (while, slightly short) was worth the wait!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: March 6, 2016**


	24. The Aftermath

**And I finally get some time to write again! Life has been super busy this past month. By the way, your responses to the pun in the last chapter were pretty good. I was thinking of the line where it says that he was pretty good at developing plans on the fly. As I said in the ending AN, though, there may have been more than one, anyway. Well, I guess we know the routine by now, so…**

**Review Replies:**

_**warorpeace**_**: Thanks. I wasn't really thinking of the title as a pun. To be honest, I named the story "Flame" because that's Hiccup's pseudonym in these early arcs of the story.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Wow…close enough. Haha. **

_**MMM (anonymous)**_**: Great questions! Those will definitely be answered in the coming chapters.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Nope! Not that line! Haha. It just might…(although I'm not sure if Heather is a character who would get panic attacks…but this is fanfiction! Haha).**

_**blackmoon FierceGods 15**_**: Thanks! I'm glad that you enjoy reading this story.**

_**ladipretender**_**: Yeah, it's written entirely in his POV. There's a reason for that…but I can't say because it will totally spoil some future events. Hopefully, you're feeling better now. I know the feeling, though. Allergies have been bad for me lately.**

_**Maga (anonymous)**_**: Yeah, it was pretty similar. It will be different now.**

* * *

Chapter 24: The Aftermath

The world around him was silent and dark. Nörrik did not know where he was, but he did not like it. Where was he? What happened to Toothless? Why couldn't he see or hear anything? He tried to move, but with the darkness that surrounded him, Nörrik did not know if he had managed to shift or not. _**Help me!**_ he silently begged.

A distance ahead of him, Nörrik saw a pinprick of light. Maybe that was the exit from…wherever this place was. He tried to move toward the light but he never seemed to get anywhere. _**It's hopeless. I'm stuck in this horrible dark and silent place.**_ Nörrik was ready to give up…and then he remembered Hiccup. Back when he still lived under the name of Hiccup "the Useless", he had silently fought his way through every adversity in his life. In that way, Hiccup had been the strongest of all the Vikings on Berk.

_**I can't give up now**_, Nörrik knew_**. I need to overcome this. I promised Heather that I would come back to her.**_ His strength restored, Nörrik continued to make his way toward the pinprick of light. _**Hopefully, the light will lead me home and not to Valhalla. **_

It seemed like he had been walking forever (if he had actually even been walking) before the pinprick of light began to grow larger. Nearing the light, Nörrik could make out a soft sound, a voice that he knew well. It cut through the silence and rang like music through his ears.

"Nörrik, come back to me. You promised."

_**Heather…**_ "I'm coming, Heather," Nörrik answered. "I'm coming. Please just wait for me a little longer. I'm almost there."

Just as he approached the light, Nörrik stumbled, his legs giving out on him. He tried again to stand, but his attempt proved unsuccessful. His legs refused to support his weight. Briefly, Nörrik wondered why this was happening, but he refused to let it stop him from making his way toward the light. Crawling along slowly, he finally pulled himself out from the darkness.

888

Slowly, Nörrik opened his eyes. The light around him was blinding and he immediately shut his eyes again. Cautiously, he opened his eyes again, letting them adjust to the light. After having spent an indefinite amount of time in the dark and silent prison, the sunlight was, at first, unpleasant to Nörrik's eyes. It was several minutes before he could finally blink away the pain.

When he could finally see through the bright sting of the once-blinding sunlight, Nörrik noticed Heather sitting beside him. She had not yet noticed his awakening. Opening his mouth to speak, Nörrik could not immediately find his voice; his throat was dry and sore. "H-Hey," he tried, but his voice came out soft and crackly.

Though his voice came out sounding damaged, it was enough to catch Heather's attention. Finally hearing his voice, she jumped slightly before shifting to face him, carefully eying his healing wounds. Nörrik saw a hint of a small smile appear upon her face before her facial expression shifted to one of anger. "Finally, you wake up! Do you know how worried I was? How worried everyone was? When we found you… You're just lucky that Toothless is so overprotective of you or you would be in Valhalla right now!" Yelling these words out to Nörrik must've helped Heather to release some sort of pent-up frustration as the boy watched her expression slowly soften once again. Heather reached for a nearby glass of water and passed it to Nörrik who eagerly drank from it.

"H-How long has it been since…?" Nörrik asked, his voice still a bit crackly from disuse.

"The battle?" Heather replied. "A couple weeks. You've been out for so long and, as I said, we were all worried."

Nörrik took another deep swig of water before the setting the cup back down. "I-I'm sorry. I never wanted you to worry, Heather. It all happened so fast. Toothless and I…we had no time to think before I was pulled from the saddle…before we both plummeted to the ground."

Heather looked down, taking an interest in the ground. "You two…defeating the Red Death, as you called it, brought peace between us and the dragons. That's something that my tribe has never known. I know I told you that we tried to avoid fighting back against the dragons, but that doesn't mean that we liked them either."

Nörrik smiled as he heard Heather's words. "Then it was worth it. Back home, in my old tribe, once I met Toothless, there was nothing I wanted more than to show him to everyone and to have them accept a peace with the dragon species. As you can see, that never happened. Who knows what will happen now that the dragons will stop raiding and pillaging…not that I really care, though. That's all in the past."

A silence fell between Heather and Nörrik. He could tell that she wanted to say something, but he did not pry. If there was one thing that he had learned quickly about Heather, it was that she was one to speak her mind. Eventually, she would say what she was thinking. It might take a while, but she would say it sooner or later. As it turned out, Nörrik did not have to wait long at all.

Heather drew a shaky breath as she looked over her fallen friend again. "If you weren't already lying here on this bed in our medic building, I would punch you so hard. I can't believe you did what you did up there. Do you have any idea how reckless your actions were?"

Nörrik chanced a small smile. "You must not know me too well. 'Reckless' is practically my middle name." _**What would she think if she knew that my middle name is actually "Horrendous"?**_ Nörrik briefly wondered before dropping the thought; he didn't want to remember Berk right now. Letting the smile fall from his face, Nörrik's voice became serious once again. "I said it before, but I'll say it again. I'm really sorry for making you worry about me, Heather. It was stupid, I know, but it all turned out okay. I'm here now and I'll be just fine. Just…give me a couple more days and I'll be all back to normal." He noticed Heather look away again, but Nörrik tried to ignore it. _**Doesn't she believe me?**_ he briefly wondered. "So…you said that the defeat of the Red Death brought about a peace with the dragons?" Nörrik asked, attempting to change the topic.

Nodding, Heather replied. "Yes. You should see it. Our village has already started to adapt and allow dragons to live amongst us." Abruptly, Heather stopped and this halt caught Nörrik's attention.

"Heather?" he asked, wondering why she had stopped. When she did not answer him, Nörrik told her, "You know, I'd really like to see these adaptions that the village has made so far. Maybe I could help design some things for the dragons. I'm pretty good at that kind of thing, you know."

He made to sit up, but Heather stopped him, gently pushing him back down onto the bed. "Maybe later, Nörrik. You still need to rest."

"I feel fine," Nörrik tried a second time. He was quickly stopped once again by Heather. "Really, I'm okay. I just spent who-knows-how-long sleeping on this bed. A walk around the village would be really great right about now."

With a sigh, Heather spoke one sentence that stopped Nörrik's attempts to rise from the bed. This one sentence compelled all his attention. "Nörrik…there's something you should know."

* * *

**So…I recently have become hooked on Yu Yu Hakusho. (I promise there is a reason I'm saying this!) For anyone who has read or seen that series…I kind felt like Hicc…Nörrik was a bit like Yusuke in this chapter. Back from "the dead" (more or less, in Nörrik's case) and immediately determined to get out and explore town. Haha. (I guess it's a bit of a stretch…but I really do enjoy Yu Yu Hakusho.)**

**Anyway…what is Heather going to tell our favorite young hero? How will he react? Find out in the next chapter!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: March 30, 2016**


	25. Crutch

**I guess I couldn't leave you all sitting on that cliffhanger forever. Not that it was one of my best cliffhangers or anything. I must do better next time!**

**Review Replies:**

_**Damien the Nephilim**_**: Wouldn't that be interesting? Unfortunately, I don't think they had the technology to accomplish that.**

_**warorpeace**_**: Yes. You guessed right. I'm not going to say which guess was right, though. Read to find out!**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Yeah, I guess it was kind of a cliché cliffhanger. My next one will be better (says that before even starting to write the chapter…).**

_**random123games**_**: Thanks. Glad that you liked it.**

**_MindVScape_: I won't say too much, but I will say that we haven't seen the last of Stoick and Berk. Haha.**

* * *

Chapter 25: Crutch

With a sigh, Heather spoke one sentence that stopped Nörrik's attempts to rise from the bed. This one sentence compelled all his attention. "Nörrik…there's something you should know."

Nörrik waited, bracing for whatever it was that Heather was about to tell him. He waited for almost a minute, but Heather remained silent. Immediately Nörrik assumed the worst. _**What could be so bad that she's having this hard a time trying to tell me?**_ he wondered. "Well, what is it, Heather? What do you need to tell me?"

"Nörrik," she began slowly, testing her words, "when you fell off Toothless…well, at least, we think when you fell off Toothless, at least, we could not see until the flames died down and the smoke cleared," she continued.

"Yeah…?" Nörrik pried gently even though his frustration was growing as Heather delayed the inevitable.

"Well, we think that your left leg was somehow exposed to the flames and badly burned."

Nörrik did not like the grave tone in Heather's voice. He did not like where this conversation was going at all. "Did your mother have enough salve for it?" he asked, hoping.

"That's not…" Heather started, but stopped with a sigh, choosing her words carefully. "Nörrick, my mother…couldn't save your leg. She had to cut part of it off. I'm sorry."

These words cut through Nörrik like a knife. "No…" he whispered out as Heather's words continued to echo through his mind. Badly burned. Couldn't save. Sorry. Nörrik shook his head, partly in disbelief and partly to clear the words from his head. "No, that can't be right," Nörrik decided. "If it was, then, my leg would feel…" he began, pulling away the covers. As he looked down at the sight before him, Nörrik breathed out the last word to finish his sentence, "…different."

Looking down upon his legs, Nörrik glanced first to his right leg. Aside from a few cuts and scrapes, his right leg was fine and would heal within the next week or so. Then, his gaze shifted to his left leg. The upper half of his left leg was fine, littered in cuts and scrapes just like his right leg. However, as his eyes dropped down, he found that his left leg stopped about halfway between his knee and the space where his left foot would have lain. The end of his left leg was wrapped tightly in blood-stained bandages.

"We've tried to keep the bandages clean by changing them every day," Heather told him. "However, your leg was so badly burned and double that with us having to cut it off…well, it's still been bleeding. My mother said that you would need to keep the bandages on until the bandages come off clean. As long as your leg is still bleeding, there is a chance for infection and so it'll need to remain covered."

Nörrik barely heard any of Heather's words. His gaze had yet to leave the bandaged stump that occupied part of the space where his left leg should have lain. It just felt too weird to believe. His left leg was gone…well, most of it was gone, anyway.

"Oh, I guess it's still bleeding. My mother is still a bit busy treating everyone who was injured during the explosion, so I guess I'll change your bandage." Heather sat down beside Nörrik and slowly, carefully and gently, began to unravel the bloodied bandage from Nörrik's injury.

As much as he wanted to look away and not see the bloodied stump that he had once called his left leg, Nörrik found that he could not take his eyes from it. Sooner or later, he would've had to face the truth anyway. _**Might as well be sooner,**_ he decided.

Glancing up briefly, Heather noticed Nörrik staring sadly at his injury. "You don't have to watch, Nörrik. I'd understand."

Nörrik shook his head in reply. "No," he muttered. "I have to. If I see it, that will make it real." He probably sounded crazy, but he knew that Heather would understand; she was working with her mother to take over the position of village healer someday. She would have to get used to these kinds of scenarios (although, it would probably be a little better now that there were no more dragon raids).

Heather did not protest. Instead, she finished unraveling the old bandage and lay it down on the bed under the stump of Nörrik's left leg to catch any blood that might still drip from the semi-fresh wound. She left briefly to grab the cleansing solution (really, just a container of old mead), a few clean cloths, and a small bucket of water.

In the short time it took for Heather to gather the medical supplies, Nörrik stared down at his injury. _**It's…real. My leg is really gone.**_

When Heather returned, she spread her supplies out so they would be easily accessible when needed. Opening the container of mead, Heather wet one of the cloths with the liquid. "This is going to sting," she warned Nörrik before pressing the cloth as gently as she could against his injury.

Nörrik grit his teeth against the pain. He shut his eyes as Heather gently patted the mead-dampened cloth against his injury to cleanse the wound. Once she was finished, Heather dipped another clean cloth into the small bucket of water, letting it soak briefly before pulling it out and ringing out the excess water. "This will be easier. It won't sting as much," she told Nörrik before patting the damp cloth onto the skin of the injury. Once she was finished and the skin had dried, Heather securely wrapped the last clean cloth around the injury and tied it in place. "That wasn't so hard, I suppose."

Nörrik sighed, looking away from the injury that was now bandaged once again. "Yeah, I guess," he muttered.

Heather must've noticed that his silence was uncommon for him because she placed a gentle hand onto his shoulder in a gesture of care and support. "I know that I can't fully sympathize with how you're feeling right now, Nörrik, but I can understand to an extent. I can imagine how hard it must be to lose something so…" she trailed off, but continued soon after. "It'll take time to adjust, but everything will turn out okay, I promise. You're not alone in this. Just remember that. I will always be here to support you and so will my parents…and the rest of our village, even. Everything will work out in time."

Nörrik nodded, ever grateful for Heather's constant support. She's right. I'm sure I'll adjust to this in time and, as long as I have her support…and everyone else's too, I won't have to go through this alone.

"I know that you shouldn't be walking just yet," Heather began, "not until your wound stops bleeding, but when you're a bit better, my mother found a crutch that she built from the wood of trees from our surrounding forest. She told me that you can use that to walk, but only once your wound is healed."

Nörrik glanced over the corner that Heather had motioned to as she spoke. Sure enough, there in the darkness stood it, a smooth wooden crutch, just waiting for use. An uneasy feeling settled in Nörrik's stomach as he eyed the crutch. He hated even the prospect of depending upon the crutch for the rest of his life. "It sounds like a good temporary solution," Nörrik softly answered, "but I refuse to walk with a crutch for the rest of my life. Somehow, I will find a way to walk again without depending on some crutch for support."

* * *

**I know it's not much of an ending. I knew what I wanted to say and not how I wanted it to be said. I wanted the ending to come across as powerful and driving and it turned into…meh.**

**I do like the title ("Crutch"), though because obviously that is part of the focal at the end of the chapter. Also, though, a synonym for the word "crutch" is "support" and that is what Heather gives Nörrik throughout this entire chapter. She's there constantly as Nörrik's crutch, someone that he lean on and depend on. **

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: April 9, 2016**


	26. Help From Heather

**Before we get to the review replies, it appears that some congratulations are in order! We have another milestone reviewer! Congratulations to Flame's 200****th**** reviewer: deeed22!**

**Review Replies:**

_**hlyarts**_**: Yep, I'd say that's probably where we're headed! Haha.**

_**random123games**_**: You're right. That would be quite a plot twist!**

_**warorpeace**_**: Thanks! It was as I was looking up synonyms to use for "crutch" that I realized how great it fit as a chapter title. Honestly, I always just tend to forget about Toothless. (This happens in all my HTTYD stories.)**

_**The-real-dragon-rider**_**: True. I often hate writing those types of chapters, too, honestly (and it always seems to show in the quality of the chapter). **

_**deeed22**_**: Congrats again on posting the 200****th**** review! I know it's not much, but…hey, bragging rights! Anyway, I liked the title too. It just fit so perfectly across several angles and by all definitions of the word.**

**_Noctus Fury (anonymous)_: Would you believe that I wasn't quite sure if that line would be considered in-character? I mean, I know that Hiccup is very determined and headstrong, but I just wasn't sure.**

**_amerdism_: Thanks. The next chapter will be posted…now. I don't actually have much of an update schedule anymore, so I kinda stopped making guesses about when chapters will be posted.**

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Chapter 26: Help From Heather

A few days later, Nörrik's injury finally stopped bleeding. With Heather's mother's permission, Nörrik was given the opportunity to slowly accustomate to using the crutch that had been supplied to him. Progress was small as Nörrik had to teach himself again how to walk with the aid of the crutch, but Heather, as she had promised, was with him every step of the way. Nörrik would limp slowly as he constantly readjusted the crutch under his left arm, but Heather remained close, never letting Nörrik reach the ground if he should slip.

Once Nörrik got the hang of walking with the support of the crutch, he found that it wasn't as horrible as he'd originally thought, but that still didn't mean that he wanted this to be a part of his life; Nörrik still hated the crutch and the loss that it symbolized for him. When Nörrik could walk again (well, more or less), he returned to his work at the village forge. Heather's father insisted to Nörrik that he didn't have to force himself to work; he would understand while Nörrik continued to recover. Nörrik simply replied that he understood, but he wasn't forcing himself to work; he actually wanted to get back to work and stop feeling so…useless, for lack of a better word.

That was how Nörrik ended up at his workbench in the village forge on this afternoon. Heather was busy working with her mother to continue helping those affected by the Red Death battle and it was a slow day at the forge so Brokkr had opted to take a short break and leave the operations of the forge in the capable hands of his apprentice. Without a constant need for weapons, production at the forge was at a low demand. Occasionally, someone would stop by and ask to have their own personal weapon sharpened or there were days when Brokkr and Nörrik would work today to create some "back-up" weapons. "Always good to be prepared. Just in case." That was Brokkr's personal motto.

Today there was none of that, nothing to do. Nörrik sat hunched over a set of plans spread out across his work bench. In his left hand, he tightly gripped a pencil. Every so often, he would run the charcoal through his hair before sketching out a new possibility on the large scrap of paper. For some reason, no matter how many alterations he made to his sketches, Nörrik still did not feel confident in the design. Briefly, he thought back to Gobber and the forge back on Berk. "What would you say, Gobber?" Nörrik muttered to himself. "If I showed you these designs…what would you think?" he wondered softly to himself.

A light knock on the nearby wooden frame of the forge startled Nörrik from his work. Dropping his charcoal pencil onto the workbench surface, Nörrik looked up and relaxed when he saw that it was Heather. He greeted her as he positioned his crutch under his arm and stood up to hobble over to her.

Heather met Nörrik halfway (probably so he didn't have to walk too far). "I had a break, so I figured I'd stop by and see how everything was going," she explained. She didn't elaborate, but Nörrik could just tell that Heather knew her father was taking a break…meaning that she'd stopped by exclusively to check in with her friend. "So, what were you working on?" Heather asked, gesturing to the paper on Nörrik's workbench surface.

"Oh, that…" Nörrik answered, stumbling back slightly to grab the plans in his right hand. He passed it to Heather and she took a look down at it. Nörrik watched her eyebrows scrunch together as she tried to decipher the scribbled plans.

"Wait a minute, is this…?" she asked as she began to realize what she was looking down upon.

"Yeah," Nörrik answered, already knowing what Heather was asking. "I told you, Heather, that I didn't want to rely on this crutch for the rest of my life. Creating this fake metal leg will allow me the freedom to stand on my own again."

Heather passed the paper back to Nörrik. "You know, there's nothing wrong with using the support of a crutch, right?" she asked him, her voice soft in understanding. Though she'd only known this boy for a short amount of time, she could see his determination and she accepted that.

"I know, but I like being able to walk on my own when I choose." He glanced back at the designs as he lay the paper back down on his workbench. "Although, who knows when I'll be able to, though. I've been sitting here staring at these plans for hours and they still don't feel right to me. It just feels like something's missing, but I can't seem to draw up any plans to remedy the problem."

Looking back at the plans that Nörrik had discarded on his workbench, Heather suggested, "Maybe I could help you. I mean, I know that I don't have much expertise in metal work, but perhaps I could offer a second glance."

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt," Nörrik decided. He found an old chair in the corner of his workspace and dusted it off to offer a seat for Heather to sit. Taking the seat, Heather waited for Nörrik to unroll his plans once again. They both hunched over the workspace to take closer looks at the plans that Nörrik had already scribbled out onto the paper. Together, they discussed the plans and Heather, with her slight knowledge of metal-working (that she had received from her father) suggested some ideas in places. Nörrik, as promised, took her ideas seriously with a nod and a quick sketch into his plans.

By the time, Nörrik confidently sat back from his plans, he had not realized how much time had passed since he and Heather had begun their discussion. The candle on his workbench surface had burned lower, giving the room a subtle and dancing shadowy glow. "Thanks for the help," Nörrik told Heather with a smile. "I can't believe I didn't think of some of those ideas that you suggested."

"Well, my father has been our village blacksmith since…forever," Heather explained, smiling back.

Nörrik rolled up his plans and stored them away in a safe location on his workbench. "I guess I'll get started on actually building it later. This designing and planning stage took much longer than I expected," he said with a short laugh.

Silence fell between Nörrik and Heather; neither knew what to say to the other. They had both enjoyed spending this time alone together, but how could they put their feelings into words?

"Heather, I just wanted to say…"

"Nörrik, I wanted to tell you…"

Both had spoken at the same time and they each stopped and waited for the other to continue their thoughts. When neither Nörrik nor Heather spoke up, Nörrik cleared his throat and gestured to Heather to continue.

"Are you sure?" she asked him and, at his nod of encouragement, she continued, "Well, I just wanted to tell you that this was fun. I really enjoyed being here to help you out with this project. So, what were you going to say?"

"Well, that's the funny thing," Nörrik laughed, "I was going to say something very similar to what you just told me."

They both smiled in content as the candle on Nörrik's workbench continued to burn lower and cast its dancing shadows onto the dark walls. In the dim light, Nörrik took a deeper look at Heather as she stared back at him, the silence returning to surround them. Heather was beautiful, like Astrid, but so much different than the tough blonde shieldmaiden he had left back on Berk. Heather was compassionate and encouraging and Nörrik felt drawn to her.

With the shadows dancing upon the walls, Nörrik felt a strange boldness that he'd never felt before. Stepping closer to Heather, Nörrik took the chance. Sure, Heather could end up being no different than Astrid, but Nörrik couldn't let his past taint his future, not if he ever wanted to live a truly fulfilled life. "Heather…" he whispered, continuing to step closer to her.

"Nörrik…" she whispered back, stepping closer to him as well.

_**Is this really happening? Do I feel that way about Heather? I mean…she's been a great friend, but do I actually…? Better question…does she feel the same way about me? What do I do?**_ Nörrik could not keep up with his thoughts; his mind was racing a mile a minute. Finally, throwing caution to the wind, Nörrik closed his eyes and allowed himself to step closer, ready to kiss Heather's lips. She did not seem to object and, in fact, stepped closer as if in welcome.

He could feel her warm breath mix with his. _**This is really happening. I'm really going to kiss Heather…for real. Not just some "I don't know if I'll be back alive, so I'll use this kiss as a promise" kiss.**_ Just as their lips were about to touch, the sound of a voice startled Nörrik and he jumped back with a short yelp.

"Nörrik, I just got a request to…oh, Heather, you're here too. I thought you were working on some medicinal techniques with your mother," Brokkr spoke up as he made to enter the room. "Anyway, Nörrik, whenever you get time, meet me out in the main room and we'll discuss this request."

Brokkr left and Nörrik mentally cursed his luck. _**The gods still hate me, I guess.**_ "Well, I guess I should…" he nervously told Heather, gesturing toward the main room of the forge.

"Yeah, I should probably get back home and continue my studies on medicinal herbs," Heather replied with a short nervous laugh. "I guess I'll see you at home later, then?"

"Yeah…home," Nörrik laughed, his laugh also sounding awkward and nervous. "Bye, Heather."

Heather wished Nörrik well and then left to return home. With his fake leg plans shelved until a later time and nothing else to do, Nörrik made his way out to the main room to discuss the request that Brokkr had received. _**Well, that little moment with Heather could've gone better. Please tell me that's not some sign from the Gods…or something.**_

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**Not going to lie…I did not know how I wanted to end this chapter. It just felt like it kept going on and on…but at least it's a longer chapter. So, Nörrik had made a few steps towards a brighter future (in more ways than one, I guess you could say). I can definitely promise you that Heather will play a major role in helping Nörrik (because that's what she promised to do). **

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: April 29, 2016**


	27. Everything Will Work Out Soon

**So, last chapter we had Heather helping Nörrik out and I can say before we get started that this chapter will have more of the same. If you don't like it…why are you reading? I'm just kidding. It's nice to have you as a reader. Thanks for checking out the story! Enjoy the continuing friendship (and maybe something more?) of Heather and Nörrik!**

**Review Replies:**

_**deeed22**_**: Yes! Bragging rights are fantastic, aren't they? Also, YES! Nörrik's past will return. We have not seen the last of Berk and the tension those memories bring for our young protagonist!**

_**MODdenial**_**: I know…darn you Brokkr! Berk will be making an appearance. As for when, it might not be too soon, I guess. I'd say it'll be a few years (story time, of course!) before they come back into the picture. **

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Because the Gods hate Hiccup, so they probably still hate Nörrik?**

_**MMM (anonymous)**_**: You bet they will! Haha.**

_**Spike (anonymous)**_**: Darn…Gotta love it when your significant other's father comes in and breaks up a good moment. Haha.**

_**The-real-dragon-rider**_**: I did, huh? That's awesome! I always like hearing that my works inspire other writers.**

**_ladipretender_: I'm going to try to give a suitable condensed reply. Anyway… I've always really enjoyed writing coma scenes from the perspective of the afflicted. It's kinda fun and pretty good test of my writing ability (at least, in my opinion). As for the middle name short segment, that was another moment that just came up as I was writing. Wasn't in the plans, but seemed like something fun to add. As for what's coming next: The building of the new leg will be next chapter. There will be some Nörrik and Toothless interaction in this chapter. The rest—Nörrik finding his place and such—will be focus in later chapters.**

**_Noctus Fury (anonymous)_: It was nothing special, really. Just another work request. You know, just enough to enter and break up a moment between Nörrik and Heather. Haha. **

**_Sup'Nut_: Thanks! I'm glad that you liked it.**

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Chapter 27: Everything Will Work Out Soon

It had been days since Nörrik had shelved the plans for his new prosthetic leg. Surprisingly the forge had been bustling lately and Brokkr had instructed his apprentice early on that the needs of their fellow villagers always came first. Nörrik had been working for days on the projects that Brokkr had assigned to him. Though the experienced village blacksmith had tried to divvy the work evenly between them both, Nörrik still felt swamped. He had always been one to strive for perfection in his work and that often slowed him down in finishing his projects.

Several nights Nörrik had stayed later than Brokkr and returned home drenched in sweat and frustrated from his lack of time to work on his own shelved project. He would hide his frustrations behind a mask each night at the dinner table, but he could always feel Heather's eyes fixated on him. She knew that something was up, but she was nice enough to never question him in front of her parents.

One night after dinner as Nörrik gathered some spare clothing to take to the spring for a bath, he was cornered by Heather. She stood in the doorway and blocked his escape.

"Heather, I really should get to the spring. I'm drenched from working all day at the forge," Nörrik tried, hoping she would drop the subject or at least postpone their talk until after his return.

"I just wanted to ask if you were okay. I've noticed that you've seemed…upset these last couple of nights. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

"Everything's okay. I'm fine, but I really do want to go wash this sweat off, so…" Nörrik tried to dodge the question and crutch his way past Heather, but again he was unsuccessful.

"Nörrik," she began, halting him in his tracks. Her voice had taken on a seriousness that he had never heard before. "I know you said before that no one used to care about you back where you came from, but that isn't the case anymore. I'm really worried about you and so are my parents even though they're too nice to ask you about it. I just wish you would just tell me what's wrong." When Nörrik made no move to explain, Heather's face fell. "I see," she replied, stepping out of the doorway. "I guess I was wrong. I just thought…that you trusted me more now."

"Heather, it's not that! I do trust you. It's just…" Nörrick sighed and continued, "It's just selfish, I guess. I don't know."

"Then let me be the judge of that. Just tell me and let me give you advice for once!"

Nörrik, knowing that he'd finally backed himself into a corner, told Heather everything. "Fine, you're right. I am upset and I have been for several days. We've been so busy down at the forge that I haven't had any time to begin creating my new leg and it just frustrates me. I mean…sometimes it feels like the Gods still hate me…just like back then, before I left Be…my old home."

Heather replied with a light-hearted laugh. "Is that all? In that case, everything will work out soon, Nörrik, the busy times at the forge never last that long. It's just that the work requests always all seem to come in at the same time and then there'll be weeks where you'll get nothing. Trust me, I know it all too well. My father used to handle all those requests by himself because he never wanted to take on an apprentice until you came to live with us."

Nörrik hung his head, ashamed. "I was right. I was selfish. Thanks, Heather. I'll try not to let it get to me."

Stepping forward, Heather placed her hand on Nörrik's shoulder in comfort. "It's fine, Nörrik. Everyone thinks that way sometimes. It's just how we are. You'll get time to make your new leg soon."

Without looking up, Nörrik mumbled, "I'm sorry. I tried to push you away and keep everything to myself like…like I always did in the past."

His words were soft and jumbled but Heather heard them clearly enough. "It's fine, Nörrik. Just know that I'll always be here for you, so never be afraid to come to me. You don't need to shoulder everything all on your own anymore." As if to prove her words, Heather stepped even closer and placed a soft kiss upon Nörrik's cheek.

What Nörrik did next was on impulse, an instinct. He did not remember shifting his head just enough to allow his lips to meet Heather's. He did not remember closing his eyes and letting his feelings guide him. All he knew was that he pulled Heather closer and ran his hands through her black hair as she did the same with his auburn. His hands tangled in her hair and loosened her usual braid. This kiss was so different from their last when he was unsure if he'd even see her again after the battle. There was no uncertainty this time. Nörrik, though he hadn't realized until now, had wanted to do this.

When both Nörrik and Heather needed air, they broke apart. Neither spoke for a few moments; they didn't know what to say and therefore just kept silent and savored the moment.

"Uh…well, I should probably go to the spring," Nörrik finally remembered. He quickly (well, as quickly as he could when he was still stuck maneuvering with the crutch) gathered his change of clothing. With the clothes under one arm and the crutch under the other, Nörrik hobbled toward the doorway.

"Are you sure you don't need any help? It's starting to get dark, the spring is a short walk from here, and you still have that crutch."

Nörrik appreciated Heather's kindness and thoughtfulness, but he still wanted to do as much as he could on his own without help. It wasn't entirely that he didn't want Heather to help him out, but Nörrik was so used to doing everything by himself that it just felt weird to accept Heather's assistance. "I'll be fine. I'll just get Toothless to give me a lift. With all the work I've had to do at the forge, I feel like I've barely seen him since I woke up after the…well, you know. This reminds me that I also need to build a new tailfin for Toothless once I've completed this prosthetic leg project. Anyway, I really should get going before it gets too dark. Thanks for the offer, though."

As he began to hobble again toward the door, Nörrik was stopped one last time by Heather calling his name. He turned back to him and she offered him a satchel. "Here. This will help you to carry your change of clothing. I know you don't really want my help and that's fine, but I still want to do something to assist you."

Accepting Heather's satchel, Nörrik quickly packed his change of clothing and left for the spring. Once outside, he whistled for Toothless who bounded over almost immediately. Carefully, Nörrik pulled himself up onto Toothless's back and told his dragon that he wished to be taken to the springs. Toothless knew the location and quickly complied.

As the spring grew closer with each step of his dragon's feet, Nörrik found that he could not turn his thoughts from Heather and the kiss that they had just shared. Again, he found himself also thinking back to Astrid. So many nights he had lain awake and envisioned himself sharing a kiss with Astrid. Back then, it had felt right, but not anymore. The kiss that he had shared with Heather, while it was, by no means, perfect, was his first kiss and Nörrik could not imagine a better first kiss. It left him wanting more. He wanted to always be with Heather, having her standing beside him…well, when he could stand on his own again, that is.

Toothless growled lowly, catching Nörrik's attention. Shaking himself from his thoughts, Nörrik noticed that Toothless had arrived at the hot spring and was waiting to help his friend. Apologizing quickly, Nörrik gripped his crutch and slowly dismounted onto the ground. Beneath his foot, the ground was rocky and Nörrik was nervous that his crutch would slip. Knowing that Toothless would be beside him, though, Nörrik relaxed. Carefully, Nörrik crutched his way down to the edge of the spring and began to remove his tunic and pants. Setting his single boot and clothing aside, Nörrick settled down into the warm natural water of the spring and allowed the water to relax his stressed muscles. He allowed himself to forget the stress of the forge's "busy times" as Heather had called it. He allowed himself to forget the frustrations that came from not having the time to start building his new prosthetic leg. The water soothed Nörrik and it wasn't long before he truly felt relaxed. "You know, Bud," Nörrik spoke to Toothless who sat watching him from the side of the spring, "Heather's right. Everything will work out soon. She's pretty awesome, isn't she?"

Toothless grunted in reply and bobbed his head as if nodding. Nörrik smiled at his friend. It had taken a short while for Toothless to trust Heather, but that was just the Night Fury's tendency and Nörrik understood his dragon's hesitation because he, himself, had felt it at one time. When you live your entire life locked in battle against a species, you tend to have some trust issues. This was something that Nörrik and Toothless were both still overcoming.

"I don't know, Bud. I really like her…like, kind of in the same way that I thought I liked Astrid, but…no…not really…it's not really anything like what I thought I felt for Astrid. I mean, Heather is pretty like Astrid, but I like that Heather is calm and thoughtful while Astrid was headstrong and unmovable…you know?" Nörrik rambled, envisioning both girls in his mind as he spoke of them.

As Nörrik washed the day's sweat and grit from his skin, he could not keep his thoughts from returning to Heather. It was surprising (and he actually took little notice of it) how much less his thoughts turned back to Astrid anymore; she was quickly become a distant memory in the past that he'd left behind forever. Instead, now, his thoughts were consumed by Heather and he just could not seem to get his mind off her.

When he'd finished, Nörrik stepped out of the spring, dried the water from his skin, and changed into the spare set of clothing that he'd brought. Fully clothed, Nörrik carefully took his place again on Toothless's back and the Night Fury walked toward Heather's house. Nörrik was lost in his thoughts throughout the walk back home to Heather's family's home. Someday he would get around to creating the new prosthetic leg that he had planned out with Heather. He had accepted her support and Toothless liked her as well. Someday he would stand beside her again without the lame crutch that she'd given to him. She had told him that everything would be okay and he believed her. Finally, Nörrik felt that he truly could trust Heather; she wouldn't betray him like Astrid or demand his banishment like Stoick (the man that Nörrik really felt he could no longer title "Father").

"I know we've only known Heather for a short time, Bud," Nörrik told Toothless, "But I trust her and…I think…I love her."

* * *

**Not going to lie. It really did take me two weeks just to write this chapter. I feel like we've hit one of those slow "arcs", per say, and it just…yeah. I mean, I know that slower sections are essential to most stories, but… Anyway… I really did not know how to end this chapter…hence why it's longer than most that I write—almost 2,000 words of just story content! Also, I really thought this ending sounded so awkward and weird and then I realized…this is Hiccup. He's the epitome of awkward and weird, so I guess it's okay.**

**This section of chapters that we're in now, I like to think of it as Nörrik-Heather bonding, so that's going to be the main focus for the next chapter and perhaps the chapter after. Also, for those asking about Toothless, the spring scene was mainly for that purpose. Because Nörrik and Toothless need interaction too!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: May 22, 2016**


	28. Forever Trying

**Well…that was a positive reaction to the last chapter. As I mentioned in the closing AN last time, this is, like, the Nörrik-Heather bonding section. Call it filler if you'd like, but it's essential if this is going to be a Heathercup fic, because I'm not big on the idea of the "timeskip—and now they're a couple". That's not how real love works. You don't skip the "getting to know you" stage and go right to the "lovers" stage. This isn't actually a rant, by the way. Just an explanation of my thought process.**

**By the way, if you follow my Twitter account, you may have seen the preview of this chapter. Well, now you can read the whole chapter! Enjoy!**

**Review Replies:**

_**deeed22**_**: I can see how it could be kinda filler-ish, especially the end of the chapter. I think the Heather-Nörrik interactions are important, though.**

_**Gordon519**_**: Huh…well, what do you have in mind? (Now, I'm curious. Haha.)**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Glad that you enjoyed it. Haha.**

_**The-real-dragon-rider**_**: Good question! I never actually thought about it. Probably not as part of the story, but maybe I could write a piece or two for an extra. **

_**Pegueng**_**: I'll keep that in mind. Usually, I prefer to read and write shorter chapters, but sometimes longer can be better. Haha. I guess that now that he has Heather, he doesn't want Astrid anymore. He barely even thinks of her now.**

_**warorpeace**_**: Thanks! Envious of their relationship? Haha. **

_**random123games**_**: Thanks! Here's the next chapter.**

**_Noctus Fury (anonymous)_: Nörrik making a "thank you" gift for Heather…that sounds like an interesting idea. That may just happen. Haha. More Heathercup in this chapter!**

**_chelseybun (anonymous)_: I didn't take your review that way. I understand, though. I had a really tough time with the last chapter and I guess it showed. Hopefully this one is better. Also, I don't have much time to read anymore (seriously, I read about one chapter each week. Haha.) but I'll put that one on my list to read if I ever get time.**

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Chapter 28: Forever Trying

Hammer to metal, the clanking sounds drove Nörrik on. Finally, he'd gotten the time to begin work on his own project and he was not going to waste a second. His drawings and notes were face-up beside him, but he could also envision the finished product. It would be nothing special…yet. Just a prototype that he could tweak as he thought of improvements.

The work was slow. Pound the hammer to the metal, slowly shaping it into the shape he'd envisioned, cool in water, reheat the metal in the forge, and touch up the work. Over and over. Again and again. Nörrik's entire focus was on his work. It was a little harder than usual because he needed to sit upon a stool that Brokkr had provided, but that was still better than trying to balance the crutch while working.

Nörrik was so engrossed that he almost did not hear the approaching footsteps. Keyword: Almost. "Hey, Heather," he greeted without looking up from his work. Ever since their kiss a few days ago, the atmosphere between Nörrik and Heather had grown just slightly awkward. Nörrik did not know what to say to Heather and it seemed that she was giving him space. Neither seemed to want to bring up that night and the moment between them.

Heather walked closer and examined Nörrik's work. "Wow, it's really starting to take shape."

Finally Nörrik glanced up. "Yeah, it's only taken all day," he replied with a smile. "How's everything going for you?"

Heather returned the smile. "Well, I guess. The work has died down now that everyone's recovered from the explosion on Dragon Island."

Dragon Island. That's the name that Nörrik and Heather had come up with for the island where the Red Death had made her residence. Just hearing that name drew Nörrik back into his work. His visit to Dragon Island was the reason why he was creating this project in the first place.

"Well…that's, uh…good," he replied, hoping that the words "Dragon Island" did not start any unwanted flashbacks. He'd been lucky so far not to have any, but Heather's mother had told him that it wasn't uncommon for someone's mind to sometimes "replay" the events of horrible and tragic moments in that person's life.

Nörrik resumed his work and placed the carefully-bent metal back into the fire. He still needed to shape it just a little more and the metal had cooled too much for him to hammer it into shape.

"So…will it be finished today?" Heather asked Nörrik in an attempt to spark some conversation.

Without taking his eyes from the flames that curled around his shaped metal, Nörrik answered, "Probably not. It's already starting to get late and I still have some minor shaping tweaks that I need to make before I attach the metal foot to the wooden leg post that I've been designing. I'd say that it'll probably be about another day or two before I can actually test it out." Nörrik found it a lot easier to discuss his current project with Heather. Maybe it took his mind off of the kiss they had shared. Though Nörrik felt that he wanted it to mean something, he did not know what Heather was thinking and the idea of bringing it up again scared him. _**Though**_, he thought, _**it must not have scared her away since she still comes to check in with me here at the forge and we still talk at home and all. Maybe…could she feel the same way that I do? Is that even possible?**_

"Well, you'll have to let me know when you get it finished and are ready to test it out. I'd love to be there to watch you walk without that crutch again," Heather replied with a smile.

"I'll be sure to," Nörrik answered, returning the smile. "I'll be home in a little bit. Talk with you then?"

"You bet." Heather made her way towards the forge entrance. "See you then."

888

As predicted, it took Nörrik almost two more days to finally finish his project. He probably could've completed it in one day, but his drive for perfection had extended his work by another day until he felt satisfied that it was finally worth testing.

Heather and Toothless sat with Nörrik on a grassy plain just on the outskirts of the village. Carefully, Nörrik exposed his left leg (or, rather, what was left of it). He placed the flat top surface of the wooden peg leg against his skin and gently, but securely, tied it into place. He took a deep breath, trying to still his nerves. It felt like it had been forever since he'd walked without the crutches. How much practice would it take to walk unsupported?

Slowly, Nörrik pushed himself up to a standing position. At first he wobbled unsteadily and he could see both Heather and Toothless ready to spring up and catch him if he lost his balance. Nörrik's arms flailed as he tried to find his equilibrium. It took several minutes and a few near falls before he finally steadied and stood in place. The crutches lay discarded in the grass nearby, but Nörrik did not move to pick them up. He wouldn't need them anymore.

Now that he could stand and balance again on his two feet, Nörrik's next trial was to walk. This part of the process, Nörrik knew, was going to have to be taken in baby steps, but, if all worked out, the slow progress would all be worth it again soon enough. He took a step with his right foot first. _**Easy enough. **_The prosthetic that he'd designed slid a little, but not enough to throw Nörrik too off-balance. The challenge came when he tried to take a step with the new metal leg. Almost immediately, Nörrik stumbled and dropped toward the ground. Toothless caught him before he could hit the ground. As Toothless righted his friend, Nörrik saw Heather relax and ease back down into a seated position; she had shifted to catch Nörrik, but Toothless had been faster.

_**Just as I thought**_, Nörrik told himself as he stood still to find his balance once again, _**this is going to take some time.**_

888

Over and over again, Nörrik tried walking with his new leg and each time ended in failure. Though he'd tried to remain optimistic, he was finding it harder and harder to even try. _**Maybe walking with crutches for the rest of my life wouldn't be that bad,**_ he was beginning to think.

Heather remained his faithful friend. Each time Nörrik stumbled, she was there to offer her support. "At least you took an extra step this time," she'd tell him or "Hey, that was new record. You'll have this mastered in no time!"

Nörrik practiced all day and by the time the sky was growing dark, he still could only walk a very short distance. Sure, it was some progress, but Nörrik wasn't satisfied. Somehow, he'd thought this would be easier. He'd learn to walk before as a young Viking, so why was it so difficult to teach himself to walk once again?

Heather must've seen the look on Nörrik's face as her friend pulled himself onto Toothless's back. "Really, Nörrik, all things considered, you did really well today," she encouraged him. "I mean, think about it. I'm sure you didn't learn to walk the first time all in one day. It took many falls before you finally could master it. Just give it some time and it'll eventually come naturally."

Nörrik cast his gaze down to Toothless and ran his hand across his friend's black scales. "I guess so." He couldn't bring himself to speak with optimism.

Heather stepped closer and placed her hand gently on Nörrik's shoulder. "We'll try again tomorrow and we'll keep trying until you can beat me in a race…without tripping."

This response finally gained Heather a small smile from Nörrik. "We'll keep trying forever then because I could barely run with both of my legs. Now I have…this," he answered, gesturing down to his artificial leg hanging down by Toothless's left side.

"Then we keep trying forever," Heather replied with a gentle laugh. "I have no complaints about that."

Nörrik helped Heather climb up to sit behind him on Toothless before setting off toward home. "Yeah, I'm sure you'd think differently if it were you that needed to relearn how to walk," he muttered.

888

The next day was more of the same. Nörrik worked hard to just place one foot in front of the other and Heather and Toothless watched from the sidelines, ready to catch their friend if his momentum should shift.

It took all morning, but when Nörrik, Heather, and Toothless decided to take a lunch break, Nörrik could almost confidently walk over to the spot under a tree where Heather had set up their lunch. Sitting down and standing back up would be a different story, but walking was almost second nature to Nörrik. Again.

"Looks like you're getting more comfortable walking," Heather commented as they ate.

"I suppose I am," Nörrik answered, glancing down at his newly-fashioned artificial leg. "I guess you were right…this time."

"This time?" Heather answered with a smile and a raised eyebrow. "I'm always right. You're just too stubborn to admit it," she laughed.

Nörrik tried to think of a witty comeback, but nothing seemed to work, so he just resorted to answering, "Also true…well, the 'too stubborn to admit it' part, that is."

They both ended up laughing and eventually Toothless joined in too. A light-hearted mood had settled over them again and Nörrik was grateful that he was slowly growing accustomed to walking with his prosthetic. Baby steps.

"So, I guess that means you're ready to try running, then," Heather spoke up, breaking Nörrik from his thoughts.

_**So much for baby steps.**_ "Not really, but…wait, you were actually serious? You're expecting me to beat you in a race?"

Heather stood up. "Of course I was serious! Now, come on, you're going to learn how to run. Again."

Shakily, Nörrik stood up and waited a moment for his balance to steady. _**This really is going to take forever. I'm really not looking forward to this at all…but I guess there's no getting out of it either.**_

888

Learning to run again was definitely a lot harder than learning how to walk. Nörrik already expected to experience great difficulty, but he had not anticipated this. Even just the smallest shift in his speed sent Nörrik back to the ground. _**There's no way I'm ever going to be able to run again. This is impossible.**_

"You're acting like this is impossible!" Heather called to him from across the grassy plain. "What are you going to do if your life depended on running away from a potential danger?"

Nörrik rolled his eyes but did not bother rising from the ground. "Then I guess I die," he yelled back.

"Nope. Sorry. Wrong answer," Heather called back to him. "Now get up and keep trying until you don't fall. Then, we'll race."

Knowing that he had no other choice, Nörrik slowly and shakily rose from the ground. "She's just lucky that I love her," he muttered to himself, careful to not let Heather or Toothless hear. Now was not the time to tell her how he felt. He'd do that after he beat her in their race…if he ever beat her in a race.

888

Nörrik raced across the plain. He felt the wind rush through his hair as he ran at top speed. It had taken a few days, but he could run again. Looking back, Nörrik saw that Heather was gaining ground on him. _**Darn it! No. I have a chance at actually winning this one and I'm not going to—**_

The metal of Nörrik's artificial leg hit something slick and down he went. The fall knocked the wind out of his chest and Nörrik lay there, gazing up at the sky and gasping for breath, as Heather caught up to him and looked down at him.

"Too bad," she teased with a laugh as she extended a hand down to help Nörrik back up, "I thought that you might actually beat me this time."

"Yeah, yeah, I know what you're going to say. 'Again'. Fine, let's race again then. I will beat you this time!" It had taken a few days, but now Nörrik finally felt competitive; he wanted to beat Heather…and not just so this "training" could be over. He wanted to win. Just once. Just once to prove that he could.

"Okay," Heather consented. "If you're sure, I suppose we could race one more time today."

"Oh, I'm ready," Nörrik answered with a competitive smirk. _**This time for sure!**_ He could just feel that this would be the race where he would finally beat Heather. He ignored the feeling of the mud that had soaked through his shirt from his earlier fall. Right now, he would put his full competition into the race; this time he would beat Heather.

"Ready," Heather started the countdown.

"Set," Nörrik answered, lowering his weight just slightly.

"Go!" they both yelled as they took off as fast as they could toward the finish line.

Nörrik shot forward, racing past Heather as he had last time. This time, though, he made sure to divert around the mud puddle that had proven to be his downfall in the last race. He did not look back. Last time he had and it had resulted in another loss.

Up ahead stood the two trees where Nörrik and Heather had agreed to place the finish line. _**All I have to do is pass between those two trees before Heather and then I win.**_ Each step brought him closer. _**Almost there!**_

With a final burst of speed, Nörrik blew past the two trees and it took several more steps before he could bring himself to a halt. Turning back, he saw Heather cross the "finish line". _**I…did it. I won! I beat Heather!**_

Heather turned to Nörrik and applauded his efforts. "Nice race."

Nörrik cheered, jumping into the air to celebrate his victory. "Yeah!" On the way down, his metal foot hit the ground wrong and he tumbled to the ground. "Ow." He looked up to see Heather glancing down at him. "Hey," he reminded her, "I crossed the finish line already and I did not fall until after I'd crossed it. This doesn't count."

Heather laughed at Nörrik's worry. With a smile, she extended a hand down to help him up. "You're right. I guess you beat me fair and square, so…you passed. Are you ready to go home now and put this test behind us?"

"Definitely," Nörrik agreed. "Now that I can walk and run on this new leg and I've extensively tested it, I know what I can improve on and tweak for perfection." Seeing the look that Heather gave him, though, Nörrik dropped the subject, "…but those tweaks can definitely wait for another day. This new leg is good enough…for now."

* * *

**Probably a horrible ending, but…I could not—for the life of me—decide where I wanted to end this chapter. That's why it ended up being 2,500 (or so) words. You're welcome. I could go on and on about my thought process for this chapter, but it was so scattered at times…and I feel like that would bore some of you. Hope the chapter was enjoyable enough, I guess. **

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: June 3, 2016**


	29. Girlfriend

**I'm glad that everyone liked the last chapter…and that everyone agrees with me about not just skipping through to the boyfriend-girlfriend stage. Haha. Well, back into it. How long will this peace last, I wonder…Haha.**

**Review Replies:**

_**WikiSorcerer**_**: Well, technically, they did kiss. Twice. Although, the one was more of an "I don't know if I'll be back after I fight this dragon, so…" kind of kiss. Haha.**

_**MMM (anonymous)**_**: Knowing the luck of our protagonist…probably the worst possible time ever.**

_**ladipretender**_**: Glad to hear that others think the same way about the Heather-Nörrik bonding chapters. You said it perfectly. Those scenes are absolutely essential to the story. That last chapter, I will say, kinda spawned on its own. I had the basic idea that I was going to have Nörrik create his new leg and test it and that Heather would support him, but all the other little "snippets" of the process just kinda came up as I typed out the chapter. I didn't know if it would work, but I kinda like how it turned out and so I kept it that way.**

_**RogueFreedom890**_**: Hmm…they will show up, but I have some things I want to do with the story first, so it may be several chapters.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Yeah, I wasn't planning to use the step-by-step setup, but I like how it turned out. **

_**DOCTORSINTHETARDIS**_**: Is that the quote from Despicable Me? (It probably isn't…it's after 2AM here and I probably should be sleeping instead of answering reviews…)**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: I think that idea will most definitely happen. Just not sure when, yet. Sometime when it's not after 2AM, I need to take a look at the proposed timeline again. Huh…another interesting suggestion. Again, I'll take a look at the timeline sometime later and see if I can spare a Heather POV chapter anywhere. Haha.**

**_DoctorAllonzy_: I'm glad that you liked the ending. I don't know why but I always have the hardest time writing chapter endings. Here's the next chapter.**

**_Guest (anonymous)_: Thanks! It's always great to hear from readers that have kept up with my stories.**

**_thearizona_: Yes, you are right. Berk will come back, but as to when…well, I can't quite say right now, but I do have it planned out…to an extent. Here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 29: Girlfriend

_**Girlfriend. I can't believe Heather is actually my girlfriend. She actually agreed to be with me, the former Hiccup the Useless. **_

Nörrik, hands behind his head, lounged back against the tree. It was a beautiful day, much warmer and sunnier than most of the days on Berk, and a gentle breeze blew through the grass and tree leaves. He was looking out over the meadow where he'd relearned how to walk and was seated under one of the trees that had served as "the finish line" for his races with Heather.

It was hard to believe that it had already been a couple weeks since he'd bested Heather in their race. By now, walking with his newly-fashioned leg had become second-nature to him. Even if it was possible for humans to grow legs back, Nörrik would probably hope that he had the choice to opt out because he'd have to relearn how to walk a third time; walking with two "real" legs just wouldn't feel right and natural anymore. _**That only means that it's time to tweak the design and make it better,**_ Nörrik decided. He'd created a mental list of possible upgrades that he might try implementing sometime. Sure, Heather thought he should just be satisfied with this rudimentary first design, but eventually she'd come around.

As his thoughts again shifted to Heather (that had been happening a lot lately, actually; he just could not stop thinking about this amazing girl that was now his GIRLFRIEND. Yes, that definitely required emphasis), Nörrik thought back to the days after their race. The days leading up to the night when he'd finally found the courage to ask the single most important question (at least, so far) in his life.

PAST888PAST888PAST

Nörrik cheered, jumping into the air to celebrate his victory. "Yeah!" On the way down, his metal foot hit the ground wrong and he tumbled to the ground. "Ow." He looked up to see Heather glancing down at him. "Hey," he reminded her, "I crossed the finish line already and I did not fall until after I'd crossed it. This doesn't count."

Heather laughed at Nörrik's worry. With a smile, she extended a hand down to help him up. "You're right. I guess you beat me fair and square, so…you passed. Are you ready to go home now and put this test behind us?"

"Definitely," Nörrik agreed. "Now that I can walk and run on this new leg and I've extensively tested it, I know what I can improve on and tweak for perfection." Seeing the look that Heather gave him, though, Nörrik dropped the subject, "…but those tweaks can definitely wait for another day. This new leg is good enough…for now."

"Well, it better be. You only spent how long waiting to work on it, creating it…and then testing it out here?" Heather replied as they both walked side-by-side toward home.

"I didn't say that I was going to modify it right this minute. It's a little late for that tonight…especially since I haven't drawn out any plans yet. Besides, I still need to use it more to determine exactly what upgrades I can apply to it." Then, Nörrik remembered the mud. How had he forgotten? It was wet and slimy and soaked through his clothes. "I need to visit the hot spring tonight anyway. Hey, how about a congratulatory hug…you know, for making it through my 'training'…or whatever we're calling it."

Nörrik approached Heather and she backed up as she caught sight of the still-slightly wet mud on her friend's clothes. "Uh…no, I'd rather not," she told him, but he continued his advance. In her haste to avoid Nörrik and his soiled clothing, Heather never even noticed the fallen log behind her. When the heel of her foot hit the log, Heather lost her balance and slipped backward.

Nörrik walked over to stand over Heather. "I'm sorry, I did not see that log there. I did not mean to make you trip," he told her, but there was a slight, almost-undetectable edge of sarcasm to his voice. "Allow me to help you back up, Milady."

Before Heather could even consent, Nörrik reached down to grab one of Heather's hands and hoisted her back up to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, it's no big deal," Heather answered.

She seemed to have forgotten the reason why she'd tripped in the first place. Perfect. "I'm glad to hear that," Nörrik replied, giving Heather a quick hug which she returned. When they broke apart and Nörrik stepped back he shot Heather a sly smile. "Well, now it looks like you'll need to visit the hot spring tonight too," he told her as he continued walking toward home.

With his back turned to Heather, Nörrik did not see her look down at the front of her clothes. "Nörrik! That wasn't fair!"

Over his shoulder, Nörrik threw another sly smile Heather's way. "Neither is it fair to make a crippled boy race, but, hey, all's fair in love and war, right? Besides, you love me!" He heard Heather mutter something back, but Nörrik couldn't quite catch what she'd said. _**Well, that was fun.**_

888

Nörrik paced another circle upon the grassy meadow. He'd come to really like the serene location and came out here often when he just wanted to be alone (or with Toothless, as he was now) to think. "I want to ask her, you know, Bud," he spoke to his friend. "Still, would she even want to be my…girlfriend? I mean…this is me…am I still, at least…isn't there still a part of me that could be called 'Hiccup the Useless'? What kind of girl would want to be with someone like…like me?"

Toothless gave him that look again. He'd been glaring at Nörrik like that for a while now. It was a look that said "Well, you don't exactly know until you try…and beating down those poor blades of grass isn't going to help."

"You're right, Toothless," Nörrik commended his dragon friend. "I knew I could come to you about this. That's what I'll do. I'll tell her. She'll probably shoot me down like Astrid always did, but at least she'll know how I feel."

Nörrik began to walk back toward the village. Toothless followed beside him. "Right now, she'll probably be helping out her mother. Actually, it's about midday, so she should be getting a break soon. Now is the perfect time."

When Nörrik arrived back into the village and as he approached the house, he caught sight of Heather. As expected, she was exiting her home, probably to get some lunch. Picking up the pace, Nörrik walked over to his friend. "Hey, Heather!" he called when he'd come close enough that she could hear him speak.

At the sound of his approach, Heather looked up. "Hey, Nörrik. Are you off from the forge today?"

"Yeah," Nörrik replied. "Your dad all-but told me that I've been working too hard lately. He suggested that I take today for myself. I didn't want to, but…can't really argue with his reasoning." Nörrik laughed and Heather did the same.

"Yeah, well he's right. You're always working."

Nörrik was about to respond back to Heather with a reminder that she was "not one to talk about always working" but then he remembered his mission, the reason why he'd sought Heather out in the first place. "Oh, hey, you got a minute? I wanted to talk with you."

"Sure, I've got a little bit of time. What's up?" Heather replied.

"Well, actually, I wanted to ask you..." Nörrik took a deep breath and hoped Heather did not notice his nervousness. "Would you…?"

"Oh, Heather, you haven't left yet. Good!" Heather's mother approached, her movements hurried. "I could really use your help with something really quick before you get lunch. I'm sorry. It shouldn't take too long."

Heather glanced between her mother and Nörrik before her gaze softened sympathetically. "Sorry, Nörrik. I need to take this. We can talk later." She left, following her mother back into the house.

Nörrik sighed. Part of him felt relieved that he had not been able to ask the question. However, another part of him reminded him that he needed to ask Heather soon or he'd keep finding excuses not to ask her. That was the part that won out. Now when would he get a chance to ask Heather? "Well, that could have gone better."

888

_**Maybe she won't remember our earlier "conversation". Maybe she won't bring it up.**_ Dinner had come and passed and still Heather had not asked Nörrik about his question from earlier. In a way, Nörrik hoped this would be the case. _**Can't be rejected if I never ask...right?**_

The night passed uneventfully and Nörrik settled down on his couch to sleep. Tomorrow, it was back to work at the forge so he wanted to make sure to get a good night's rest. Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, though, Nörrik held a soft knock on the nearby wooden wall.

Sitting up, Nörrik squinted through the darkness to try to see who had made the noise. Unfortunately, he could not see clearly enough, so he automatically tensed.

"Hey, Nörrik, it's me," the person identified herself.

"Heather," Nörrik confirmed, relaxing. "It's a little late, isn't it?" he asked, wondering why she was coming to him now.

"I hope I didn't wake you up. I just wanted to continue our conversation from earlier. You wanted to ask me something."

Carefully Nörrik relit the candle on the wooden table near the couch and scooted over to one side to make room for Heather to sit on the other. Once she had taken her seat, Nörrik spoke again, trying to pick off where he'd left off earlier that day. "Well, how do I ask this…?" he began, his insecurities creeping their way into his voice. "I mean…we've known each other for a short time now and…" he looked up and accidentally caught Heather's gaze. _**Bad idea. Nörrik, she's giving you a look. She probably thinks you're crazy. This is a waste of time. Okay, brace for the rejection…**_ "Anyway, I was just wondering if…" _**I am going to sound like such an idiot…but I have to ask.**_ "Heather, would you…" Nörrik stopped again. _**Why is this so hard? I mean…this isn't life or death. Training Toothless was a matter of life or death and that was easier than confessing my feelings? That doesn't make any sense. **_Finally, Nörrik just blurted out the rest of the question, "Heather, would you be my girlfriend?"

The words came out so fast that it must've sounded like one big long word to Heather. Nörrik waited and his worry grew as she sat there, blinking and trying to decipher the jumble of words that he'd spoken. _**How's the rejection going to come? Will she "let me down easy" or take it Astrid-style with a solid "NO"?**_

It took almost a solid minute for Heather to understand the question that Nörrik had asked. Nörrik watched as the recognition dawned upon her face. "Sure, Nörrik."

Nörrik looked down. "It's okay, I understand. I just figured I'd…" he started to reply before he really thought about the answer that Heather had just given him. "Wait…what?"

With a laugh, Heather answered, "Yes, Nörrik. I'll be your girlfriend."

"Uh…wow…great!" Nörrik stuttered. He had seriously not expected this. What was he supposed to say now? Was he supposed to answer with words or just kiss Heather? He opted for a combination of both. Leaning in closer, he spoke softly, "I'm glad you said 'yes'. Thank you." Because words often tended to fail him, Nörrik kissed Heather and let the action speak the rest for him.

This kiss was definitely less awkward than the last time. This time, it felt natural, felt right. This was the way it was supposed to be. Nörrik here kissing Heather and her returning the affection. When they finally broke apart, neither had any words left to say; the kiss had spoken everything.

"Well, I guess…I'll just sleep now," Nörrik finally spoke up, his awkwardness breaking the serenity of the moment.

"Are you sure that you still want to sleep on that couch? I'm sure by now you've realized how uncomfortable that old thing is. I mean, there's plenty of space in my…"

"Don't you think it's a bit early in our relationship for that whole sharing the bed stuff?" Nörrik joked.

Heather crossed her arms and sent a mock glare at her boyfriend. "That was not what I was going to say!" she scolded him, but her smile betrayed her. "I meant that I'm sure we can get our village carpenter to build a bed for you. Makes sense now since you're staying with us…and my parents see you as the son they never had. They'd agree in a heartbeat. So, what do you think?"

"I'd like that," Nörrik replied with a smile. "But until then, I'll suffer here on this couch. See you in the morning?"

Heather leaned in and gently kissed Nörrik's lips again. "You bet."

That night, Nörrik was treated with the best night's sleep he'd ever had.

888PRESENT888PRESENT888PRESENT888

Nörrik could feel the smile that had found its way onto his face as he thought back to that night. It still all felt so surreal. Sometimes he still felt that if he closed his eyes, he'd wake up back on Berk, back to being useless and this time here with the Peaceable Tribe would be nothing more than a sweet dream.

Beside him, Toothless lay with his head upon his front paws. Both Nörrik and his dragon had come to this field to peacefully enjoy the nice sunny day that the Gods had given them. "I should do something for Heather. You know, to…I guess, thank her for being there for me…and for agreeing to be my girlfriend. What do you think, Bud?"

Toothless lifted his head just slightly before placing it back down upon his paws with a small snort in reply. That was Toothless's strange way of agreeing with Nörrik; the boy had figured that out recently. Nörrik closed his eyes and began to picture an idea for his gift to Heather. The longer he envisioned, the more it began to take shape. Every possible little intricate detail revealed itself beneath his closed eyes.

"Yes!" he finally declared, opening his eyes once again. "I've got an idea. Now, I just need to head down to the forge and begin to plan it out!"

* * *

**So…originally, I was going to have the scenes of Nörrik creating his gift, but the chapter was getting long (it was already at about 2,400 words up to this point). That's why I decided to finally end the chapter here so I can get it posted. The next chapter will probably be shorter since it's pretty much Nörrik creating this gift, but it might not be…it's already up to 400 words and he hasn't even finished the project yet! P.S. Thanks to those that suggested having Nörrik create a gift for Heather. It was a great idea!**

**Thank you for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: June 23, 2016**


	30. Nörrik's Gift For Heather

**It's sad. I had 75 percent of this chapter written and still didn't get it posted any quicker than usual. Sorry, guys! If you follow me on Twitter, you know why. Not going to get into it, but last week was pretty bad and I was too depressed to write for a few days. It's since gotten better, so hopefully everything's okay now…for another month. For me, depression always sets back in as summer ends in the last few weeks of August. **

**Review Replies:**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Yes, you do have excellent timing! Did it happen again this time? Haha. Glad you liked the last chapter.**

_**Quadrangulator**_**: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.**

_**deeed22**_**: Yep! It's official.**

_**assasins death**_**: Well, the story is technically about Hiccup (now Nörrik) so I guess it would make sense that he's pretty much the only one that the story follows. I can assure you, though, that Berk will be back. It might take a few years, but they'll come. **

_**DJ Rodriguez**_**: Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Haha. I wasn't sure if I made Hiccup/Nörrik too awkward. I haven't watched the new season yet (have to wait until it ends up on one of those free cartoon streaming websites). Somehow it's weird to me to hear them sing. I dunno why. It just is. Great story-plot idea, by the way. That might actually happen! Haha.**

_**DayFury (anonymous)**_**: Well, I don't have this story entirely plotted out yet, but it's just beginning. Like…if I had to venture a guess, we're not even through the first half yet. Hopefully that helps.**

_**Moonlight the Assassin**_**: Great question! I had not really thought about it before. I guess I'd always just assumed it would just be Nörrik and Heather, but now that you mention it, I think I might try to give them some friends. I mean…Heather must've had friends before she met Nörrik. To the drawing board to create some friends! Haha.**

* * *

Chapter 30: Nörrik's Gift For Heather

Nörrik was on a mission. He had an important project to complete and nothing was going to stop him. When he arrived to his little room in the village forge, Nörrik immediately found some blank paper and a charcoal pencil and began to sketch out some plans before he forgot even one of the details that he'd envisioned earlier out at the meadow.

Once the plans were drawn out, Nörrik devised a plan for how he would tackle this project. The chain would be hard as it would be much smaller than the charm and Nörrik would have to interlock each loop of metal to create the chain. _**Yeah, I'll do that at the end.**_ The charm, as he'd envisioned it, would have to be precisely shaped, which would also take a good deal of time. Then, the engraving would have to be carefully crafted as well. This project could take weeks to complete, but it was for Heather and that made it worth all the trouble.

888

Crafting the heart-shaped charm took two full days of heating, melting, pounding, and shaping. Once Nörrik had shaped the heart to the perfection he'd envisioned (or, at least, as close to perfect as he could get it), he heated the charm one last time. This time, though, he made sure that the metal was warm enough to allow him to engrave his message without being too hot that it would melt or become misshapen in the process.

For days, he had practiced writing out his message on paper. It was nothing elaborate, but the calligraphy (which had never been Nörrik's strong suit) would prove tough. He only had one chance. Once engraved, there was no fixing any mistakes. Taking a deep breath in hopes that he could calm his slightly-shaky hands, Nörrik began to carve his short message into the warmed metal.

Once he got started, Nörrik's nerves began to calm and his hand became steadier, allowing the words to more smoothly flow from his mind into the metal. When he finished carving the words, Nörrik carefully lifted his engraving tool and placed the charm aside for it to cool. The engraving had turned out alright. It was not quite how Nörrik had envisioned it and he'd messed up a little in a few places, but it still looked great; Nörrik was confident that Heather would like it.

As the charm cooled, Nörrik set to work on the chain. This part of the project was going to take a few days as he linked each separate little piece together. With a careful eye and practiced precision, Nörrik, using the gripping tools that were designed to hold hot metal, bent each link into shape before adding it to the chain.

By the time Nörrik felt the chain to be long enough (which, as expected, had taken him a few days), he guessed that the charm would sit comfortably in the space between Heather's chin and her chest. It would be the perfect length. The last thing that the chain needed would be a clasp to keep it in place. Like the chain itself, the clasp would be a tough part of the project, but Nörrik had planned it out extensively. The clasp that he had designed would use a spring to open and close it. Nörrik had yet to see any Viking wear a charm necklace with a clasp such as the one he'd planned, so he hoped that it would work.

Setting the chain near the now-cooled charm, Nörrik walked over to the forge to melt another piece of metal that he could bend and shape into the clasp. He was in the midst of melting the metal when he heard a knock. Before Nörrik could acknowledge the knock, Heather entered the forge's main area.

"Nörrik, are you okay?" she asked him in greeting. "You've been here a lot lately and I just wanted to make sure that you weren't overworking yourself."

_**Heather! If she sees what I'm working on, then it won't be a surprise when I give it to her! I can't let her see!**_ Forgetting about the metal that he had been working to melt, Nörrik raced over to Heather. He positioned himself in front of her in hopes that she would not be able to see past him to the silver charm and chain that was still cooling on his workbench. "Heather! What a pleasant surprise! How nice of you to check up on me!" he began, his voice a little quicker than normal_**. It's like that time when Astrid caught me sneaking Toothless back into the village…that night when I had to cut myself loose from the saddle**_, Nörrik remembered.

As expected, Heather saw right through Nörrik. "Seriously, are you okay? Because it really seems like something's up with you right now."

"I'm fine! Really!" Nörrik exaggerated. "I've just been really busy here lately. You know how it is."

"Oh, yeah?" Heather asked, skeptical. "Because I asked my dad and he says that it hasn't been very busy here at the forge lately."

_**Curses! This would be so much easier if Heather's father wasn't the village blacksmith.**_ "Okay, so I've been busy. It's fine, though. I'm not overworking myself. Now, I guess I'll just get back to work so I can get finished…"

"I miss you," Heather spoke softly, casting her gaze down toward the floor.

Her words, though simple, halted Nörrik. What did she mean? "I haven't gone anywhere," he told her softly, gently.

"I've barely seen you," Heather explained, still looking down at the floor in front of her. "You work until late and come home and go right to sleep. I don't even know if you're getting enough to eat each day."

Nörrik stepped closer and reached to gently raise Heather's chin so that he was staring into her sad green eyes. "I'm sorry," he apologized softly. "I didn't mean to let my work get in the way of…us. Give me just a few more days and then I'll be done. It'll be worth it, I promise."

Heather sighed and gave Nörrik a small sad smile. "Okay. I trust you, Nörrik." She laughed a short laugh and continued, "I mean, I wouldn't be a very good girlfriend if I didn't encourage you to work hard…even if I don't always actually agree with you."

Nörrik kissed Heather and she returned it. "Thank you," he whispered once they'd broken apart again. Heather left then, as Nörrik had assured her that he'd never get finished if she was there with him because he would be too distracted by her beauty. _**That wasn't necessarily a lie.**_ With renewed vigor, Nörrik returned to the flames and pulled out the metal that would become the clasp for the necklace. He'd made a promise to finish within the next couple days and he intended to keep that promise.

888

Two days later, Nörrik's gift to Heather was finally complete. Once the metal of the clasp had cooled, he tested it to be sure that it would function the way he'd intended. When he was finally satisfied, Nörrik placed the charm necklace into a spare box that he'd found lying on the forge floor. Tonight, he would ask Heather to come with him to their meadow, the one where she'd helped him to walk again. Then, as they watched the sunset together, he would present her with the gift.

_**Okay, now I have a plan. Time to go set it in motion.**_ Leaving the forge, Nörrik quickly walked back home where he knew that Heather would be working with her mother on medicinal remedies and procedures and whatever other healer techniques she was learning.

Nörrik entered the home and noticed Heather hard at work in the living area. Her head was down and her full concentration was on her work. It was almost like the encounter a few days ago when Heather had come into the forge while Nörrik was working on the charm necklace. Almost. With a knock, Nörrik alerted Heather to his presence and walked over to sit beside her. "Hey," he greeted. "What're you working on?"

Heather looked up to greet Nörrik with her smile. "Just blending herbs to create remedies. Apparently, that's super important knowledge for healers," she replied jokingly.

"Huh, I can't imagine why!" Nörrik answered, matching Heather's joking tone. "I just can't see why that would be so important!"

They both erupted into a laughing fit. Nörrik was definitely beginning to understand why he was so drawn to Heather. He could not imagine ever sharing a moment like this with Astrid. Tough Astrid, the all-business shieldmaiden. She would never have sat around joking and laughing with him, would she?

"So, hey, I was actually wondering if you wanted to take a walk later? Maybe walk back to our meadow and watch the sunset? I'm sure your parents will be okay with it."

"Of course," Heather replied. "When I'm done here, I'll come find you," she told him with another of the smiles that made Nörrik's heart flutter.

"Great!" I'm going to go find Toothless until then. He's been really antsy since we haven't been able to fly lately. I really need to work on recreating his tailfin so that we go flying again."

"Okay! See you soon!"

888

As promised, a short time later, as the sun was making its descent, Heather found Nörrik and he led the way toward the meadow. Together, they sat on the hillside and watched the sky darken with reds and purples and oranges. Nörrik thought it may have been one of the prettiest sunsets he'd ever watched…but that might just be because Heather was there watching it with him.

Before it could get too dark, Nörrik decided to present Heather with the gift that he had created for her. "Heather, the reason that I asked you to come with me wasn't actually to watch the sunset," he began, "although that was a bonus." Heather turned to face Nörrik. She didn't say anything in reply, but he knew that he had her full and undivided attention. He pulled out the gift and presented it to Heather. "I asked you here tonight so I could give you this."

Heather accepted the gift and Nörrik watched carefully as she opened it. He took great notice of her facial expressions, shifting from concentration to shock to amazement. "This…" she began, for once at a loss for words. "It's so beautiful. You made this?"

Nörrik nodded. "You bet I did! Here, I'll help you put it on." Accepting the charm necklace back, Nörrik first showed Heather how to work the metal clasp before securing it around her neck.

"This is what you were working on at the forge," Heather spoke softly, absentmindedly running her fingers over the silver charm. "This is why I've barely seen you lately. You were making this."

"Guilty," Nörrik replied, running his hand along the back of his neck. "But I am glad that you like it."

"Like it? No, I love it. This is the best gift that anyone has ever given me, Nörrik. Thank you."

Nörrik shifted closer and hugged her tightly. "No. Thank you, Heather. You were the first person to ever truly accept me for who I am. You didn't believe that I should change to meet expectations. You believed in me as I am. I know this necklace isn't much, but I hope that it's enough. I love you, Heather. Thank you for helping me to trust again. Thank you for helping me to find a place here in your village. I guess…thank you for everything you've done for me since we met, Heather. My life is infinitely better since I've met you…and I just wish I could thank you more for being there for me."

* * *

**I feel like I had this ending planned out differently in my head and then…when it came time to write it, I failed…again. Man, I suck at writing chapter endings. Haha. Well, originally, I wasn't going to have Nörrik give Heather a gift, but several readers suggested it, so it was added to the story. That's the type of writer I am. Even when I already plan out an entire storyline, I will make every effort to add in reader ideas (because, most of the time, they're pretty good!). **

**By the way, if anyone wants to get technical…the engraved message that Nörrik carved into the charm. On the front, he engraved (in calligraphy—or cursive) "min elskede" which is Norwegian for "my beloved" or "my love". On the back, he engraved (again, calligraphy—or cursive) Heather's name. By the way, that translation came from the internet. I do not speak Norwegian (but I would love to learn it!) and I apologize (if I messed up the translation) to my Norwegian readers!**

**Thank you for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: July 7, 2016**


	31. Do You Even Care About Your Life?

**Well, I'm glad you all liked the ending of the previous chapter. I'm such a harsh critic when it comes to my own writing!**

**Review Replies:**

_**deeed22**_**: A time skip…Actually, yes. Probably within the next few chapters, actually.**

_**WikiSorcerer**_**: You're right. It is a good time for something bad. I guarantee that one of those suggestions will happen. Which one…well, I won't say for now, but it will happen.**

_**thearizona**_**: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the chapter.**

_**MODdenial**_**: Yes, the updates are a lot faster now. They used to be slower when this story was just getting started. Good observation! Yes, we will see Berk again fairly soon.**

_**DJ Rodriguez**_**: On the contrary, I've felt these last several chapters to be rather long. Yes, he did work pretty hard to make that gift.**

_**Cottonmouth25**_**: Huh, I'm still more of a Hiccstrid supporter, so it surprises me that this story is coming out so…well. Haha.**

_**warorpeace**_**: Berk will come…you know, just when this lovely couple is starting to find some peace…and all.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Huh, I never even thought of Icelandic. I'll keep that in mind for next time. Well, I guess that's something to work towards, so I'll try to, as you said, "keep up the good work". Haha.**

_**Monkey D. Conan**_**: Thanks for the reassurance! Both of those are great ideas and we might actually see them come up in this chapter, even.**

_**AkaDeca**_**: Oh, Berk will come in, trust me. It just hasn't happened yet.**

* * *

Chapter 31: Do You Even Care About Your Life?

Another slow day at the forge had prompted Nörrik to put his inventive skills to use once again. The paper lay out in front of him and it was covered with designs. Nörrik had sketched out his first designs early that morning and already he had made amendments and possible changes. It just seemed that the more he thought about the practicality of his invention, the more changes came to mind. Still, he needed to make sure that it would be safe for use. The idea of using this new invention was a little scary and the extensive testing it would need…that would probably kill him, especially if there was any malfunction. One little mistake and it would be "Goodbye, Nörrik".

Heather would stop by soon-around lunchtime-just like always, and Nörrik was hesitant to show her these invention plans. She loved looking at his plans and learning about his inventions, but Nörrik knew that she'd never approve of this one; it was just too dangerous. Still, if he went ahead and created this project without discussing it with her, she would hate him for not telling her about it. It was a lose-lose situation, but Nörrik was used to those. That had, after all, pretty much been his whole life back on Berk.

"Knock knock," Heather greeted with two short knocks, alerting Nörrik to her presence.

Quickly rolling up his plans because he definitely did not want Heather seeing them before he could explain the project, Nörrik looked up from his workbench and gave Heather a smile. "Milady, you are early," he stated.

"Yeah, I guess I just got lucky. Has it been busy today?"

Nörrik shook his head in reply. "Not busy at all. I've spent most of my day working on something for myself, actually."

Heather noticed the rolled-up plans that Nörrik was holding and asked him about them. "Does this 'something' have to do with the papers in your hands?"

"Oh this?" he asked her with a smile, bringing forward the papers and glancing at them as if it was the first time he had seen them. Heather gave him a mock stern glare and Nörrik laughed. "Yes, actually," he replied, seriously this time.

"Okay, and what, may I ask, is this 'something' that involves the papers you are holding?"

Nörrik took a deep breath. _**Well, it's now or never.**_ "This is—" he cut himself off as he noticed Brokkr. "Hey, Brokkr!" he greeted, walking quickly toward Heather's father. Because his back was turned, Nörrik missed the eye roll that his girlfriend directed to him at his sudden departure. "You wouldn't happen to have any spare leather lying around…would you?" Nörrik asked the village blacksmith.

"Leather? How much do you need?" Brokkr replied, his face scrunching up slightly as if he was taking a mental inventory of his leather stock.

"A fairly good amount, actually." Nörrik could see that Brokkr still seemed to be mentally determining how much leather he had for his apprentice to work with, so Nörrik quickly spoke up again, "You know what, if you find any, just leave it in my workroom and I'll figure out then if there is enough for my latest project."

That said, Nörrik walked back to Heather. "Sorry," he apologized. "It's just that leather will be pretty important for…this," he explained, holding up the papers again.

"And you still have yet to explain what 'this' is," Heather reminded him.

"Okay, okay. Come on into my workspace and I'll show you."

Nörrik led the way and Heather followed. When they were both in the small room, Nörrik shut the door and walked over to the workbench. "Okay," he began. "This latest invention might seem a bit…crazy, but please let me explain."

"Don't tell me this is some 'improvement' to that prosthetic you made. I thought we both agreed that it would be best for you to wait and use this one a bit before you started updating it."

Nörrik shook his head. "Actually this has nothing to do with my leg. I don't currently have any plans for that in development yet…just as we agreed. This, though, is even…crazier." He unrolled the papers and laid them out onto the workbench for Heather to see.

She glanced over the various drawings that Nörrik had sketched out that morning. Nörrik watched as Heather's eyes took in each drawing, looking between them as if trying to comprehend exactly what it was she was seeing on the page. "Okay, so…you're designing clothing now?" she asked her boyfriend, still not seeing what exactly it was he was trying to show her.

"Uh…yes, but it's so much more than that…at least, it will be when it's complete," Nörrik explained.

Looking up from the paper, Heather asked, "How so?"

"It's a flight suit. Well, it will be a flight suit once I've actually created it."

"A flight suit?" Heather sounded skeptical until she thought a little more about it. "Oh, you mean that it's going to be protective clothing for you to wear when you're flying with Toothless? That's a great idea!"

Nörrik could easily have just ended the conversation here, let Heather think that this invention would be a great idea, but he knew that she would probably just be even more upset later if she learned his true reason for creating the flight suit. "That is one element of it, yes. The leather exterior is designed to keep me warm while flying, but there's even more to the suit than just that." Pointing at one of the many sketches on the page he'd shown to Heather, Nörrik explained, "There will also be a mechanism, probably a…spring coil or something, somewhere around here," he told her, pointing on the drawing to a location on the front chest section of the flight suit plans. "And the straps down here on the legs of the flight suit," he told her as he moved his finger down lower on the design, "will also help. There are some other accessories that will be built in as well. Put all those together and I should, theoretically, be able to fly…separate from Toothless."

As Nörrik watched, Heather's facial expressions changed from shock to amazement and finally ending on anger. That was the tone her voice took when she replied next. "Fly? Without Toothless? You have got to be kidding! Do you even know how dangerous that is? You will die!"

Seeing that Heather, in her anger, was close to taking the paper of designs and ripping it up into many irreparable pieces, Nörrik tried to calm her down. "I'll be okay. Besides, I'm going to make sure to test it extensively before really using it," he told her in hopes that her anger would subside.

Unfortunately for Nörrik, his words seemed to have an opposite effect. "Like that's any better! How are you supposed to test it without putting yourself into danger of seriously hurting yourself?"

Nörrik was about to answer and then realized that he had no good reply to that question. "Well, I…I will figure that out when I get to the testing stage of the process."

Heather growled in frustration and rounded upon her boyfriend. "You are impossible! It's like you don't even care about your own life! If you don't care, then why should I?" She turned and stomped out of Nörrik's workspace.

Nörrik sighed. _**That went…well. Could've been better.**_ He looked out to the main forge, to where Heather had just hurriedly exited. Brokkr was approaching the workspace. In his arms, he carried a stash of leather supply that he had found in storage. The blacksmith sent a glance at Nörrik and the apprentice could tell that he'd heard most of the conversation. He'd definitely heard the…disagreement between the two although he may or may not have known exactly what had prompted the argument.

Brokkr entered the room and Nörrik showed the blacksmith a place where he could set down the leather. He left quickly as he still had plenty of work to do before closing up shop for the night. This was fine with Nörrik, though; he could use the alone time to think…or start working on his flight suit if he got tired of thinking. On his way out, though, Brokkr looked back to Nörrik and told his apprentice, "I don't know the full reason for the argument between you two, but I do know my daughter. She really loves you, you know? That's why she was so angry. Why don't you take the rest of the day off and go talk to her?"

Nörrik was taken aback by the blacksmith's kindness, especially since he had just pissed off his daughter. "Are you sure? I mean, I can stay if you need help…"

"I can hold down the fort here for a few hours. I was doing just fine all those years before you came. Go talk to her."

Nörrik quickly tidied up his workspace and hurried out, following Brokkr's advice_**. Let's see…where might I find Heather? If I was her…and I was upset, where would I go?**_ He walked slowly through the village, making sure to check behind houses and inside some of the open public buildings. She wasn't outside anywhere and she wasn't in the Great Hall. To be truly honest, though, Nörrik had not expected her to be in the village anyway. In fact, he was certain that he knew where he'd find her, but he wanted to check the village (since he was already there anyway) before making his way out to the spot where he was certain that she would be.

When he was confident that he'd searched the village thoroughly, Nörrik made his way out to the meadow. The meadow had become their place. It was where they'd go (either separately or together) to think. As Nörrik approached the two trees that had once served as the race finish line, he began to make out a small shape nearby. _**Heather**_. He walked closer, trying to be a little stealthy, but his steps fell loudly as he was still not one-hundred percent confident walking on his artificial leg. Heather, hearing his approach, looked up, but when she noticed that it was him, she looked back down again and went back to furiously uprooting grass from the meadow.

"You know," Nörrik spoke as he walked closer, "if you're mad at me, you really shouldn't take it out on the innocent grass. The grass didn't do anything to deserve that." It had been meant as a joke, a light-hearted statement, but it did nothing to lessen the tension that hung between them. "Look, I'm sorry," Nörrik apologized as he took a seat beside Heather. "I didn't mean to make it seem that I, as you said before, 'did not care about my life'. That's not true. It's just…flying is so amazing and how great would it be if we could do it without riding on the back of dragons. Besides, it could be a helpful skill to have if ever Toothless was in danger and needed my help."

Heather dropped the blades of grass that she had been tearing up and again rounded upon her boyfriend. "Nörrik, if we were meant to fly, we would have been born with wings."

"I know…but…" Nörrik began but stopped when Heather sent another glare his way. Nothing he said would make the air better between them; Heather would accept no justification for this new invention. Sighing, Nörrik tried again. "I get it. It's a stupid idea. Do you forgive me for my idiocy yet?" Though Nörrik tried to sincerely ask the question, a sarcastic undertone still found its way into his voice.

Heather thought about Nörrik's question. To him, it appeared that she genuinely considered her answer before she told him, "No." Despite her negative response, there was less edge to her voice and, to Nörrik, it was progress. Slow progress, but it was a start.

_**There must be something that I can do to get Heather to forgive me…to put a stop to this fight between us.**_ He racked his brain for an idea, anything he could think of that would possibly ease the tension between him and Heather. None of the ideas he came up with felt suitable enough. It was only the craziest of all the ideas that attracted Nörrik's attention. It would be a long-shot, but all he could do was try. "Then, I guess I'll just have to make you forgive me," Nörrik told Heather, referencing her negative answer to his prior question.

* * *

**Another specialty of ending of mine. The ending that doesn't seem like a cliffhanger, but actually kinda is a cliffhanger. This chapter really took a turn from what I'd planned to write about in it, but, honestly, I could see Astrid (in the canon version, of course) reacting in much the same way that Heather did in this story. Question now, though, is…how will our favorite protagonist get himself out of this mess he's gotten himself into? Guess we'll find out in the next chapter!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: August 12, 2016**


	32. Metallic Dragon

**I apologize already for the long wait. You know how it is…start of the school year and much to take care of…well, I have even more because I'm the teacher. I'm only a substitute, but I'm responsible for all the planning and grading for the next month. Honestly, I'm lucky that it's a long weekend (we've had a week off). **

**Review Replies:**

_**xSnowDustx**_**: Thanks! Yeah, I wanted it to be that when Berk does come back into his life (because it inevitably will), Hiccup will have this established life and everyone from his past will see how successful he is. **

_**The-real-dragon-rider**_**: Good thoughts! I never even thought about the inventions. Once we resolve this little spat between Nörrik and Heather, I will incorporate those changes into the story.**

_**AkaDeca**_**: Berk will see Hiccup again and, even though he's pretty successful now, he'll find even more later on in the story and that is the time when Berk will come back in to cause chaos. **

_**avatarHiccup**_**: The answers to both of those questions…are yes. Trust me, there will definitely be kids and, as for Heather, it just wouldn't be the same if she didn't have a dragon. Haha.**

_**thearizona**_**: Yeah, he hasn't really learned that lesson yet. Let's resolve that pseudo-cliffhanger now.**

_**GalaxytheNightwi (anonymous)**_**: You bet he will. Just when he's feeling most content, that's when Berk will appear again.**

_**Monkey D. Conan**_**: All great ideas! As for the "gang" question, I've gotten that before and I just keep forgetting to create some new teenagers. If I ever remember to do that for a chapter, I will definitely add them into the story.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: I haven't watched the newest Race to the Edge episodes yet…and with my teaching job, it's been hard finding the time for anything other than schoolwork.**

* * *

Chapter 32: Metallic Dragon

_**There must be something that I can do to get Heather to forgive me…to put a stop to this fight between us.**_ He racked his brain for an idea, anything he could think of that would possibly ease the tension between him and Heather. None of the ideas he came up with felt suitable enough. It was only the craziest of all the ideas that attracted Nörrik's attention. It would be a long-shot, but all he could do was try. "Then, I guess I'll just have to make you forgive me," Nörrik told Heather, referencing her negative answer to his prior question.

Heather shot Nörrik a look that clearly said, "Yeah, just you try it."

Nörrik whistled for Toothless, knowing that the Night Fury would hear the sound with his acute hearing. When Toothless had touched down onto the ground, Nörrik walked to his dragon and jumped up into the saddle. He looked back to see Heather watching him. "Come on," he told her. "Come with me." He watched her debate whether to actually follow her boyfriend. It seemed like forever before she reluctantly stood up and followed Nörrik. Despite her anger, she allowed Nörrik to extend his hand down and help her up onto Toothless.

Nörrik urged Toothless to take to the skies once he was sure that Heather was safely aboard. He did not expect this flight to change her mind about his flight suit plans and he could, in a way, understand her point. Flying was dangerous, but it was also exhilarating. For now, he just wanted Heather to not be angry with him anymore.

Neither Nörrik nor Heather spoke. They both just silently took in the surroundings around them. It was another beautiful day and, again, Nörrik found himself comparing the weather here to the weather back on Berk. Berk weather was never all that nice, usually just cold and wet.

A roaring sound from the ground drew Nörrik's attention back. He directed his gaze down and searched the ground for the possible source of the sound. Light reflected back at him and he had to shield his eyes. Toothless circled around until Nörrik could get a clear view. Down below was a dragon whose scales were made entirely of metal; Nörrik had never seen anything like it. "Toothless, take us down a little ways away. We don't want to startle it," he whispered to the Night Fury.

Toothless ducked quietly into the woods near the clearing where they had sighted the new dragon. A short distance from the clearing's entrance, Toothless touched down and allowed Nörrik and Heather to dismount.

"Remember to move slowly and quietly," Nörrik reminded Toothless and Heather. "We don't know anything about this new dragon. It could be hostile or it could be friendly, but we won't know until we observe it a little more closely."

Nörrik led the way with Heather following and Toothless bringing up the rear. On the edge of the clearing Nörrik stopped, letting Heather and Toothless step up on either side of him. From the air, the metallic dragon had looked impressive, but here on the ground, it appeared even more so.

Slowly, Nörrik led the group out into the clearing. The sound instantly alerted the dragon to their presence and it flung its tail in their direction. From its tail came forth several metal slices which hurtled their way at astonishing speed. Reacting quickly, Nörrik tackled Heather to the ground and Toothless dodged toward the other direction, creating a gap in which the metal pieces flew to strike the unfortunate trees on the clearing's outskirt.

Without moving from his spot on the ground, Nörrik glanced back at the metallic spikes that were now stuck deep into the tree trunks they had all been standing in front of. "Impressive," he whispered. He'd definitely never seen any dragon like this one.

Standing, Nörrik helped Heather back up to his feet. "Want to try to train it?" he asked her.

Heather shot him a glance. "Are you crazy?!" she whispered back, furiously. "That's a wild dragon. It'll kill me in two seconds!"

"Well aware that this dragon is not tame," Nörrik reminded Heather in a whisper, "but Toothless was too at one time. Don't worry, I'll talk you through it."

Heather sent another glare at her boyfriend. Finally, she consented to his crazy idea. "Fine," she whispered back, "But if I die, then I will kill you."

"Noted," Nörrik replied. "Okay, first, approach slowly. The dragon needs to know that you're not a threat. If it tenses up and makes to fire again, just stop walking. Usually, that will help to calm them."

Nörrik watched as Heather did as directed. As he predicted, the metallic dragon did look up briefly, but when Heather stopped walking, the dragon calmed and looked away again. "Okay, as you get closer, you are going to need to look to the ground," he continued to direct Heather. "Don't look the dragon directly in the eyes yet."

He could see Heather nervously shaking slightly, but she continued to do as he'd said. She dropped her eyes to the ground.

"Good, now, stop and slowly reach out your hand. If the dragon decides to form a bond with you, it will place its head into your palm."

Nörrik watched Heather extend her hand out toward the dragon. This was always the hardest part of bonding with a new dragon. Taking that leap of faith and blindly allowing the dragon to decide whether to trust you or to just bite your arm right off from your body.

The dragon sensed Heather's presence and looked up again. Unconsciously, Nörrik tensed, ready to rush to Heather's aid (hopefully!) if the dragon deemed her a threat. Slowly the dragon approached Heather and Nörrik's breath caught in his chest. Would the dragon accept her? Nörrik saw Heather tense slightly as she heard the dragon's approach_**. Relax. It'll be fine. Everything will be okay. **_Wait…who was he trying to reassure anyway? Heather or himself?

The dragon took the final steps toward Heather. It stared at her outstretched hand and downcast face. Nörrik waited, tensed and hoping for the best.

* * *

**I know…it's short, but between my jobs (you know, teaching…so…planning and grading and…everything else) I'm just lucky that I was able to get this out to you all. I'm not too optimistic about posting new chapters until October, but I'll try. Maybe when everything's all planned out and if I don't get behind on grading. **

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: September 4, 2016**


	33. Near-Death Experience

**See, I told you that I wouldn't be able to post any new chapters until October. I haven't been as busy as usual, but I still needed to focus on my work for my teaching job. Well, that's over now, sadly. It was only temporary. I can write again now, so I guess that's a positive.**

**Review Replies:**

_**AkaDeca**_**: Berk will reappear…but it'll take a few more years (not real time, of course!)**

_**Monkey D. Conan**_**: Looks like. Yes, where will I go from here…let's find out!**

_**avatarHiccup:**_** Cliffhangers are my specialty. Haha. Thanks for reviewing!**

_**Luna Star Phantom**_**: Glad to hear that you're enjoying the story. There's more Hiccup/Heather stories than there used to be, but it's still not all that much. **

_**fastmaniac3**_**: Well…right now I'm just a substitute (as I have been for the last four years), but, hey, it's something. The last three years, I've been able to secure a longer-length substitute assignment or two each school year.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: That's part of the reasoning I have for Heather getting so angry at N****ö****rrik over this silly invention idea. Yeah…N****ö****rrik/Hiccup is definitely crazy sometimes. Haha.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: Glad to hear that you love it. Here's the next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 33: Near-Death Experience

The dragon took the final steps toward Heather. It stared at her outstretched hand and downcast face. Nörrik waited, tensed and hoping for the best.

Though he prepared himself to try to move to Heather's aid, Nörrik already knew that he'd be no match for the dragon. He'd never be fast enough to pull Heather aside if the dragon chose to attack. All he could do was to hold his breath and pray to the Gods.

The dragon took another step closer and Nörrik swore that he could feel his heart stop. He watched as the dragon leaned down and placed its head into Heather's outstretched hand. Heather, because her face had been downturned, tensed at the cool metal feel in her hand, but she looked back up to the dragon.

Nörrik quietly stepped forward to stand beside Heather. "Never gets any easier. That process. It's always terrifying, but I think it may have been scarier to watch from a distance."

Toothless stepped up and walked over to the metal dragon as if to introduce himself. The other dragon, though hesitant at first, soon warmed up to Toothless and Nörrik. The metal dragon walked over to the boy and Nörrik could see that the dragon recognized him as a friend of the girl that it had just befriended and so Nörrik, without hesitation, smiled and ran a hand across the dragon's metal scales.

"So…I think we should give her a name," Nörrik told Heather. "What do you want to call her?"

He waited as Heather thought. Nörrik could tell that she was really working to choose a good name for her new dragon. "How does…Windshear sound? I mean, remember when she shot those metal spikes toward us? The ones that are now lodged in that tree?" Heather gestured back toward the pierced tree. "I swear that she just cut right through the wind when she shot those spikes."

"Windshear…that sounds cool. Much cooler than Toothless," Nörrik replied, not missing the glare he received from his own dragon. "No offense, Bud." Toothless merely grumbled in reply and went back to communicating with the newly-titled Windshear.

"So…do you want to go flying?" Nörrik asked Heather. His sentences were still stuttered, cautious, just in case Heather was still upset. "You know, since you have your own dragon now."

"Sure," Heather replied, slowly making her way over to Windshear. Nörrik followed, on his way over to Toothless.

Nörrik mounted Toothless and waited patiently for Heather to bond further with Windshear, assuring the dragon that she would not hurt her, before also mounting. The two riders and dragons took to the skies to enjoy a new experience together.

"So, what do you think? How do you like riding solo?" Nörrik called over to Heather once they had leveled out and taken a gentle gliding pace in the air.

"It is absolutely terrifying," Heather called back, "but it is also nice to see everything from a new perspective on my own too. I suppose I could get used to it…but I do miss riding with you."

"So, does this mean that you regret breaking up with me?"

Heather scoffed. "I never broke up with you! I was just so upset that you seem to have no concern for your own safety sometimes. I mean, why do you need a flight suit anyway, Nörrik?"

Nörrik was about to answer when something in the distance caught his attention. "Hey, uh…did you know that it was going to storm today?"

"Uh…no, I thought it was supposed to be nice and sunny," Heather replied, but turned her attention to stare at what Nörrik was seeing. Up ahead, the sky was dark and cloudy. The closer they flew to the storm, the more the wind picked up.

"We should turn around and head back to the village! At the very least, we should return to the ground and find some shelter!" Nörrik yelled over to Heather. He had to keep speaking louder and louder to make himself heard over the gusts of wind.

The two directed their dragons to turn and fly in the direction from which they had come. As they fought their way against the wind, Nörrik realized that the storm moved quickly and there was no way they were going to race it. They would need to make an emergency landing somewhere and wait for the storm to pass first. Unfortunately, as he looked down below, he found no easy place; there was nothing but water around them. Holding onto Toothless's saddle was becoming a struggle as the poor Night Fury was tossed this way and that by the strong bursts of wind. _**We just need to find land. That's it. Then we can land and wait out this storm.**_

They flew just a little further, moving as fast as the two dragons could. Both riders squinted, trying to make out any shapes below; the wind and the rain made it hard to look. Finally, Nörrik heard Heather call out, "There! In the distance, I can see something. I think it's land!"

Nörrik squinted out toward the direction where Heather was pointing. He could just make out a dark shape toward the ground. "I think you're right!" he called back. "Come on, Toothless! We just have to make it to that land and then we'll get out of this storm and figure out what to do next once we've found some shelter."

Toothless picked up his speed, which was hard to do as the wind had done the same. Windshear did the same and Nörrik saw Heather grip her dragon tighter. When they got back home, he'd have to make a saddle set-up for her to sit in while riding Windshear.

They were so close to reaching the land when a gust of wind tossed Toothless's prosthetic fin, affecting his flight. With the tailfin closed in upon itself, Toothless could not fly and he began to lose altitude, dropping down toward the choppy waters below. Unclipping himself from the saddle, Nörrik removed his prosthetic foot from the specialized stirrup he'd created and carefully maneuvered his way back to try to reopen the tailfin.

Somehow, Heather must have looked over and noticed what he was doing because he could vaguely hear her call out to him. He did not have time to react, though, as another large gust of wind jostled Toothless and spent Nörrik sprawling off of the dragon.

As he fell, Nörrik shifted in the air. He fell, back first, toward the choppy waters. Above him, he could see Toothless losing altitude and Heather, upon Windshear, speeding down toward him, hoping to catch him before he hit the dangerous waves that slammed into each other below.

Windshear caught Nörrik and Heather asked him repeatedly if he was okay. Nörrik affirmed that he was fine, but asked immediately that they fly closer to Toothless so he could fix the tailfin and climb back upon his friend's back. Heather complied and directed Windshear back toward the Night Fury.

Nörrik knew that he had to work fast to reopen the tailfin and, somehow, against the wind's best effort to deter him, he managed to reopen the tailfin which allowed Toothless to hover in the air. Windshear maneuvered to allow Nörrik to safely move back into his saddle. "Come on, let's get down to the ground before something worse happens."

The rain began to pelt them as they touched down on the ground and raced to find shelter. Nörrik was the first to notice the cave and he sped up to lead his girlfriend and their dragons to the haven from the rain. As they stood under the protection of the cave, Nörrik and Heather watched the rain come down in torrents.

"What happened earlier," Heather started, pausing slightly as if to decide what exactly it is that she wanted to say. "it was scary. I was so afraid when I saw you falling toward the water. I was so scared that Windshear would not have time to grab you before you fell into those waves."

"Well, I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't scary," Nörrik replied. "I think my heart is still racing," he told her as he placed a hand on his chest for emphasis.

"You know, Nörrik, maybe that flight suit idea of yours isn't such a bad idea after all. If you'd had a working flight suit, you would have been safe if Windshear and I hadn't been there today."

Nörrik turned sharply to face his girlfriend. "Wait…now you're okay with it? Does this mean that you approve of my idea?"

Heather sighed. "Yes, I approve," she answered slowly, as if almost regretting her decision, "but, just so you know, if you go out there and get yourself killed using this flight suit of yours, I will find your Valhalla ship remains and I will personally kill you again."

Nörrik laughed, earning himself a glare from Heather. "Noted. I'll be careful. I promise."

* * *

**Gah! This was a horrible ending. I forgot what I wanted N****ö****rrik's last line of the chapter was supposed to be. Now it just sounds stupid. I fail. **

**So, I don't know how many check out my Twitter, but I entered Nanowrimo! For the first time ever. I'm writing an original work (for once), so I've been devoting a lot of focus to that. I've only got about 4,500 words written right now. Need to step up my game!**

**I promise that once Nanowrimo is over I will get back to my stories! I know I said that I'd be back in November, but entering Nanowrimo was a snap decision and I'm enjoying it so far!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: November 5, 2016**


	34. Flight Suit Test

**I feel like I keep writing myself into corners with this story. Every time I start a new document for a new chapter, I spend so much time staring at it and asking myself where to go from here. Nanowrimo consuming my time and ability probably isn't helping either.**

**Review Replies:**

_**xSnowDustx**_**: Here's the next chapter.**

_**MMM (anonymous)**_**: Hiccup/N****ö****rrik has kind of shed off that old part of him, so I don't envision actually telling her about his old name. As for Astrid-Hiccup-Heather, that may come up sometime later in the story. Maybe.**

_**the stargate time traveller**_**: I'm glad you're liking the story. I will explain later in the story (unfortunately, I can't say for certain when it'll be) what is happening back in Hiccup's home village.**

_**Beuwulf**_**: Yes, it sure has been! You're welcome.**

_**warorpeace**_**: Oh, okay then. Nanowrimo is a writing contest to see if you can write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days (only during the month of November). **

_**AvatarHiccup**_**: Yeah, it's short because I'm focusing on my Nanowrimo story. **

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Yeah, I'm back. I guess. Still working on Nanowrimo more, but, you know. Thanks!**

_**Sophxox25 (anonymous)**_**: That may happen sometime. I'll have to see. I've already kinda changed so much from the original plans, so I kinda stopped making promises about when or if certain events will happen. Haha.**

_**AkaDeca**_**: Thanks!**

_**fastmaniac3**_**: I am so glad that someone else agrees. So many people around here keep asking me if I'm "ever going to get a real job" because they don't seem to realize the importance of substitutes. Sure I'll get a fulltime teaching job someday, but I'm okay subbing for now.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: I can't say for certain because all these little sub-plots keep creeping in, but I promise that we will see them again soon.**

**_Monkey D. Conan_: Yes, I suppose that it does begin now. Haha.**

**_jairoesme_: I'm glad you like it. Haha.**

* * *

Chapter 34: Flight Suit Test

Finally, it was finished! It had taken months to perfect it enough to try it out, but Nörrik was prepared now. He felt confident that his flight suit was ready for its first test. To go along with the flight suit, Nörrik had also created a fancy new prosthetic leg. So far Heather had seemed to approve of his inventions. Hopefully it would stay that way.

Today was test day for the new flight suit and Nörrik had gotten Heather to agree to come out and test it with him later in the evening before it got too dark. All day Nörrik spent tweaking his flight suit and prosthetic because everything just had to be perfect later that evening when he tested it all out in front of Heather. When the time finally came, he felt even more ready for this test flight. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

Nörrik and Toothless flew alongside Heather and Windshear. He had already chosen a location where he would test the flight suit. Over the waters would probably be best. Making a water landing would suck, but, if something should go wrong, falling into the water would hurt a lot less than making impact with the ground. Still, they were not far away from the land so that Nörrik could safely land with both foot and prosthetic on the ground when the test flight finished.

"So, are you ready to see something awesome?" Nörrik asked Heather as he turned to face her. He could barely keep the smile from his face. That was how sure he was that Heather would like his latest invention.

"All I'm saying is that you already know my thoughts. You die and I'll kill you."

Nörrik pulled back the new lever that he'd installed into the contraption that worked Toothless's tailfin. "Again, duly noted." He flipped down the facemask that he had created to go along with his flight suit. It was designed in the style of Toothless's scales and would also serve to protect his face from the wind while flying. That was part of the reason why he was wearing it now. He couldn't have the moving air stinging his eyes when he was trying to complete this crucial test.

"You ready, Bud?" Nörrik asked Toothless. Both he and his dragon had to be ready or else this would end in disaster.

Toothless snorted in slight disgust; he hadn't exactly been silent recently in his disagreement. The Night Fury did not trust Nörrik's new flight suit. Unlike his rider, Toothless did not believe the invention was ready and felt it was too dangerous to be trying this test flight today.

"Toothless," Nörrik replied, a slight whine of frustration creeping into his voice. "It'll be fine." Then he turned to Heather. "Don't mind him. He's always been overly cautious. Everything is going to be great. Just you see."

Without waiting for an answer from either his dragon or his girlfriend, Nörrik sat back, squared his shoulders and then slipped sideways off of Toothless. Nörrik fell headfirst toward the waters below. As he dropped further and further away from Toothless, Heather, and Windshear, he slipped his hands into two leather loops that he had sewn onto his pants. _**Okay**_, he mentally prepared himself, _**ready, set…NOW! **_Pulling, he unleashed the wings that he had sewn into the flight suit.

The draft caught the wings and the force of it flipped Nörrik clear around, righting him once again. No longer was he falling headfirst at breakneck speed. Now, just as he'd planned, his body was parallel to the ground and he soared high above the waters. He could not hear over the sound of the wind rushing past his facemask and he did not turn back to face the dragons and Heather. If Nörrik would have, though, he'd have seen the looks and gasps of astonishment from Heather. Like Toothless, she too had been skeptical and expecting the worst.

Nörrik soared high, dipping up and down with the wind. What a glorious feeling this was! Who'd ever have thought that Vikings could actually fly? "Ah, this is amazing!" It truly was…until the wind stopped. The change came so suddenly that Nörrik didn't even notice it at first. To him, it felt like before when he would dip a little lower and then catch another breeze and rise once more. Except, this time, he was not rising back higher into the air. No, this time, he was falling again. The wind showed no mercy; it seemed that the breeze was gone for now.

Nörrik tried moving his arms in an imitation of a dragon flapping its wings, hoping it would give him the momentum he needed. No such luck. He was still falling. "No longer amazing! Toothless!" he called for assistance from his dragon. Toothless tried to fly to the aid of his rider, but with the tailfin locked in position, he could do no more than continue to soar on the straight course in which he'd already been heading. _**Okay, that's not going to work. Plan B.**_ "Heather!" He knew that his girlfriend was aware of what was happening and regardless of whether she thought he was careless or stupid or crazy or whatever, she'd still rescue him; Heather wouldn't let him die.

Windshear caught Nörrik by his foot, righted him and flew him back over to drop him onto Toothless's back. Once he was back in the saddle, Nörrik locked his prosthetic back into place and unlocked Toothless's tailfin so he could take control once again.

"Land. Now." Heather's words were brief and Nörrik already knew that he was going to hear it from her once they were both safely on the ground.

Nörrik did not push it. He did as Heather had demanded and landed on the ground. Heather and Windshear landed beside him and Toothless. "That locked-up tail makes for some pretty sloppy rescue maneuvers, huh?" Nörrik laughed nervously. "Although, this flight suit was working fine until the wind stopped. I need to think of some sort of backup power plan of some sort…like how Toothless just flaps his wings to keep flying. This was a successful test."

Heather scowled at her boyfriend's easygoing attitude of success. "Scrap this project right now. Can't you see how dangerous this thing is? What if Windshear and I had not been here to save you? Then what? You'd be dead. That's what."

Nörrik did not let his girlfriend discourage him. "That is exactly why I need to make these improvements."

"No, that is exactly why you need to burn this project of yours. I'm sure Toothless would be happy to do the honors."

Toothless gave a snort and an enthusiastic nod. Nörrik glared at his dragon.

"What? You're taking her side?" Nörrik had known that Toothless objected to his crazy idea of creating a flight suit, but he had not known just how much the Night Fury had objected. He was seriously outnumbered here.

Heather sighed and her expression softened as if in defeat. "Nörrik, you know I'm just upset because I care. You could have died and all you can say is 'let's make improvements and try again'," she told him, taking on a pretty good imitation of him.

"Wait, I don't sound like that," Nörrik replied, referring to Heather's imitation. Heather glared at Nörrik and stopped his objections. "Okay, fine, if you really think I sound like that…"

"Come on, let's go home. It's probably almost time for supper." Heather turned and began to walk back toward the village. She did not even wait for her boyfriend.

Nörrik watched as Heather walked further away from him. When he was certain that Heather was out of earshot, Nörrik turned to Toothless. "Don't worry, Bud. I'll make some improvements to this flight suit. Next time Heather sees it, she will be in awe of how awesome it will be!" Toothless rolled his eyes and began to walk away, following Heather back to the village. Nörrik followed the Night Fury. "What? You still don't believe me? Fine, just you both wait. This flight suit will come in handy someday!"

* * *

**Oh, N****ö****rrik, just can't get a break, can you? It took a while to get into this chapter, but it was pretty fun to write. Hope that everyone enjoyed. P.S. Before I get a lot more reviews about it…YES, Berk will come back into this story eventually. I promise. Just hang tight for a bit. Got some time and stuff that needs to happen before that.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: December 22, 2016  
3 days until Christmas!**


	35. Talks

**Well, I did have a plan for this chapter…and I forget what it is. There are some continuity things from the last chapter that will be in this chapter, but other than that, I'll just sit down with a blank page and some music and type something. Sometimes that works.**

**Review Replies:**

_**Beuwulf**_**: Berk will come in again. It's coming up.**

_**deeed22**_**: Yes! I can say that will be interesting. I'm excited to write that scene.**

_**AkaDeca**_**: That will happen soon…like, I'm not good at predicting how many chapters, but it is coming up.**

_**fastmaniac3**_**: I like that idea. I had a fairly good portion of this story roughly planned out, but when I run out of plans, I had no idea where to take the story and this idea has definitely sparked something. Thank you! I hope your holidays were great.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: That part was so fun to write. I mostly like Hiccstrid too, but it's sometimes fun to branch out. The pairing is one reason why I think this story is so popular. Here's the next chapter!**

**_Awesome guy (anonymous)_: Soon to both…although the flaming sword will be coming first. Berk will make its appearance again in a few more years (story time).**

* * *

Chapter 35: Talks

Nörrik glanced out the open window frame to see that the sun was approaching the horizon. He had kept busy today and had been working extra hours on his project. Brokkr, had left a while ago, but Nörrik paid it no mind. In fact, he was almost grateful when the master blacksmith had left to head home. Now there was no worry about him walking into Nörrik's little workroom and finding the project his apprentice had been working on. As long as Brokkr didn't know about the project, neither would Heather.

For most of the day, Nörrik had taken his flight suit project back to the drawing board, as he'd done for several other days since the failed flight test. He continued to look over the plans, searching for areas where he could improve the design for better results. Another area he looked into was Toothless's tailfin mechanics. The locked tailfin was good for keeping the Night Fury airborne without his rider on his back. However, that also meant, like during the test flight, Nörrik would be unable to rely on Toothless to save him if something should go wrong. He also couldn't rely on Heather always being there either. She was busy training with her mother to become the next village healer someday. Nörrik was always impressed with the skill she demonstrated for healing. It was a good thing that she was his girlfriend because he'd certainly end up needing her treatment someday.

It was dark by the time Nörrik stored away his project. He could easily have continued working on it, but he knew Heather would question him about why he'd stayed so late…especially since Brokkr had left hours ago. Besides, he'd hit a breaking point in the project and should be able to easily pick it back up again tomorrow. Not only that but Nörrik knew that Heather's family would hold dinner until he arrived home and he did not want to keep them waiting. Though he'd lived with Heather's family for a while now, he still, at times, felt like a guest of their house and guests should not keep their hosts waiting to serve dinner.

It was a short walk home from the forge but Nörrik's thoughts were set on his project the whole time. Though he'd put it away and vowed to work on it again tomorrow, he couldn't get his vision out of his head. His inventor's brain kept coming up with little ideas or suggestions that he could try drawing into his plans. Hopefully he could remember them tomorrow when he pulled his project back out of storage.

Arriving home, Nörrik quietly entered in and noticed immediately that Heather and her family were setting the table for dinner. It was just as he'd thought; they'd waited to have dinner to see if he would arrive home first.

Heather looked up from placing wooden plates on the table and noticed Nörrik standing by the door. "Oh, hey, you're home now. Why were you so late tonight? Dad said that it wasn't all that busy today at the forge."

"I just got caught up in something," Nörrik replied, a subtle answer that wasn't technically a lie. Once he had gotten settled, Nörrik helped Heather and her parents to prepare for dinner.

When dinner was set, the family of four sat down to the table and began to pass the food around. Nörrik took a small helping of everything that Heather's mother had prepared. Heather's mother, in addition to being an exceptional healer, was a great cook.

Dinner started off quiet, as it did most nights. Nörrik did not want to be the one to break the silence but he also always tended to feel a bit unnerved by the lack of talking. He could not explain the feeling; even though he'd lived with Heather's family for quite a while now, he still felt like an outsider, like someone who'd pushed their way into the household and demanded a place to sleep. He made a note to start working on finding accommodations of his own soon.

Heather's mother and father slowly started a conversation about their respective day jobs. Now that the silence had been broken, Nörrik did not feel weird asking his girlfriend about her day too. "So, how's Windshear?" he asked. Heather's parents knew about their daughter's dragon and the whole village had become much more accepting of dragons after Nörrik had helped to take down the Red Death.

"She's great," Heather responded enthusiastically. She loved her dragon and enjoyed talking about the progress she had made in bonding with Windshear. "We've really come a long way since that day she shot the metal spikes at us. We really trust each other a lot better now."

"That's great!" Nörrik replied. He was truly glad to hear that his girlfriend had bonded so well with her dragon. It felt nice to find somewhere that his ideas were accepted and to find someone who was willing to change her own opinions to be with him. He'd never have gotten the same response and results on Berk or with Astrid, would he?

"Speaking of dragons," Brokkr spoke up, obviously having heard what his daughter and her boyfriend had been talking about, "I was talking with Chief Valdemar this afternoon and we got into a conversation about assimilating with the dragons here in our village. He has overhead villagers talking about maybe learning a little more about dragons and dragon riding. When he saw me in the village, he stopped me and asked about you both, Heather and Nörrik."

Nörrik blinked in surprise. "Wait, is he suggesting…?"

"Yes," Brokkr confirmed. "Chief Valdemar believes that you both would be the best people to teach our villagers about dragons and dragon riding. You, Nörrik, seemed to already know a good deal before you came to our village and it's just natural that, if you agree to teach, Heather would help you whenever she could."

"I…" Nörrik started but found he did not immediately have a reply for Heather's father. Sure, the idea sounded great and if there was an opportunity to train new dragon riders, he'd probably be the one person who had the most knowledge on the subject, just as Brokkr (and Chief Valdemar) had said. Still, it was a lot of responsibility. Could he handle such a job? After all, even though he'd changed his name and stripped himself from his past, deep down he was still Hiccup the Useless, the banished disgraceful son of the Berkian chief. "The idea sounds great," Nörrik answered finally. "I just need some time to think about it."

Brokkr nodded in understanding. "Just make sure you let the Chief know soon. He would be very interested in seeing both you and Heather take this opportunity."

Nörrik nodded. He'd sleep on it tonight and discuss it with the chief next time their paths crossed.

Dinner was nearing its end by this point and Nörrik was thinking he would sneak off afterwards and draw up some more invention plans. Today, he'd started to come up with a new idea that he could use along with the flight suit and he wanted to sketch out some ideas before he forgot them. Only after he'd planned them out would he show Heather; he didn't want her thinking this idea was dangerous too.

When he was finished with his dinner, Nörrik stood from the table and took his plate and utensils to wash them. Before he could walk into the next room, though, Brokkr stopped him.

"Hey, Nörrik," he spoke with his apprentice a little ways away from Heather and Sage. "Can we talk for a brief moment…just the two of us?"

* * *

**Okay, this chapter was a lot harder to write than I'd expected. That seems to be happening a lot lately. So, what do you think Brokkr wants to talk about with N****örrik? What will Nörrik's decision be about teaching the villagers? What is this new invention that Nörrik wants to sketch out in his plans? All questions that will be answered in the next chapter!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Flame!**

**Posted: February 9, 2017**


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